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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27196372">Of Starlit Pearls</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kattythingz/pseuds/Kattythingz'>Kattythingz</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowBirdie51/pseuds/ShadowBirdie51'>ShadowBirdie51</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Danny Phantom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Crushes, Danny is a ghost, Dorks in Love, Episode: s01e20 Control Freaks, Episode: s03e09 Frightmare, Established Relationship, Eventual Romance, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, I love Void Danny and I also love Pitch Pearl, M/M, Meet-Cute, Mutual Pining, Phantom and Danny are separate entities since the start, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Void!Danny, also cursing, basically a timeline of their budding romance, eventually, he only appears in the first chapter because plot, in a series of one-shots, kind of, no self-cest here my good readers, nothing says meet-cute like knocking out your crush ay?, thus: void pearl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 16:55:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,462</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27196372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kattythingz/pseuds/Kattythingz, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowBirdie51/pseuds/ShadowBirdie51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They turn to face Phantom, and, embarrassingly enough, Phantom can’t help but stare. Because this ghost looked like they were literally made of space. </p><p>Galaxies and stars swirled in the black void pooling around their waist, legs (tail?), and arms, leaving their chest exposed. And as he looks up, his eyes meet a bright, bright blue, startlingly beautiful against the deep black of their sclera. Blue eyes that stared right back at him.</p><p>OR: A series of connected one-shots encompassing Phantom and Void!Danny, from their transition to more-than-friends and whatever may come beyond that. ft. gratuitous pining, dorks falling in love, and an added bonus of eventual angst ;)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Danny Phantom/Danny Fenton, Pitch Pearl - Relationship, Void Pearl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>107</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Of First Meetings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Trance/gifts">Dream_Trance</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HELLO HELLO! Welcome to my newest Pitch Pearl fic, where I shamelessly rub my love for Void Danny in your faces :D </p><p>To be clear: this is a series of connected one-shots with no plot other than Danny and Phantom's budding relationship, ft. pining and overall cuteness. And none of this would be written without the help of my genius friend's brain and theories, so thank you partner! They deserve just as much credit as I do.</p><p>And finally... a thank you gift to Trance, for all the wonderful fics and friendship that you've offered me. I hope you enjoy this :3</p><p>DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DANNY PHANTOM. (If I did, I would have done Gray Ghost right).</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phantom is no expert on human sayings. A lot of them don’t even make sense to him, which has led to a lot of amused fans teaching him the right way to say them, but there are some rare occasions where he understands the sayings. For example, ghost towns.</p><p>Specifically, how eerily silent it is in Amity Park right now.</p><p>Phantom tries not to leave his main haunt for a long time, but sometimes he leaves to visit the Far Frozen, or to recharge in the Ghost Zone. He hadn't even been gone for a whole day when he came back to this sight.</p><p>Flying above the empty streets, Phantom feels something unsettling grow inside him. Where is everyone? Phantom has never seen the streets this empty, not even during a ghost attack.</p><p>“Figures that things go south the moment I leave,” Phantom sighs. </p><p>It takes him a bit of searching, but he finally spots movement down below him. Hopeful that it’s a human that’s safe and can explain things to him, he flies down, calling, “Hey! Are you okay?”</p><p>The figure looks up, and Phantom heaves a sigh of relief as he realizes it’s a human. So there are people in town after all! He’s this close to the waving human when their expression shifts onto something behind Phantom that gets them running again.</p><p>Before he can turn around, there’s a rush of air beside him, and then suddenly there’s three similar-looking ghosts following the human. Feeling a familiar protectiveness fill his core, Phantom rushes after the ghosts.</p><p>“Get away from them, you creeps!” He yells, blasting one of them. The ghost turns around, blinking at him as if it had just noticed him.</p><p>Even stranger is the way it just <em>ignores</em> him and keeps chasing the human.</p><p>Feeling an annoyed growl building up in his throat Phantom blasts again. He keeps blasting, even speeding up, but they turn at a corner, and Phantom loses them for a moment.</p><p>He rounds the corner, his fists glowing with unreleased energy, and then he screeches into a halt as he realizes the ghosts are gone. </p><p>What happened to the human? Phantom looks around in a panic, and then sighs as he catches sight of them sitting against the wall.</p><p>“Oh, thank the Ancients. Are you-” he pauses. Was that weird helmet always on the human’s head? And is this really the time to be sleeping? Phantom groans. Goddamn humans and their inability to have common sense.</p><p>The ghosts are gone, but he can still get this person home. Still, that hat really is nagging at him. Phantom is sure that wasn’t there before. And even stranger, the ghosts vanished after seemingly wanting to get the human. Did they get tired of the hunt?</p><p>Phantom stares at the sleeping human. He reaches out to touch the helmet, but he’s startled back as the helmet literally <em>shocks </em>him.</p><p>“What the heck?” Phantom mutters. “What even <em>is</em> this?”</p><p>Turning around, Phantom tries to look for any signs of damage, or whatever the ghosts wanted from here, only to blink as his once-over of the area reveals three <em>more </em>humans sleeping against the wall. </p><p>Phantom squints at them, recognizing the same weird helmet on their heads.</p><p>So, for some reason, the ghosts came here to <em>hand out hats</em>. And judging by the fact that they were all asleep, hats that put you to sleep?</p><p>But that doesn’t make any sense! If they wanted to incapacitate them, why didn’t they take them with them? Not that Phantom <em>wanted</em> them to do that, but still.</p><p>Phantom floats back up. Whatever those hats did, the whole town was probably under their influence. That’s the only explanation he can find for the emptiness in the streets. But why-</p><p>His thoughts are interrupted as his ghost sense goes off. Gathering energy into his fists, Phantom lifts his guard and studies the area. Then, he sees it. A shadow rushing across the sky.</p><p>Maybe that was the ghost responsible for this. Phantom goes to follow after them, but the ghost is already gone. He looks down, searching for any movement. </p><p>There! He flies down to the park, noticing there are two more humans here, also dozing off with the helmets on their heads. And right in front of them stands the ghost, with a hand outstretched to touch the helmets.</p><p>The ghost isn’t getting shocked, Phantom notices. At least they aren’t hurting the humans. “Hey! What are you doing?”</p><p>The ghost pauses, pulling their hand away. They turn to face Phantom, and, embarrassingly enough, Phantom can’t help but stare. Because this ghost looked like they were literally made of <em>space</em>. </p><p>Galaxies and stars swirled in the black void pooling around their waist, legs (tail?), and arms, leaving their chest exposed. And as he looks up, his eyes meet a bright, bright blue, startlingly beautiful against the deep black of their sclera. Blue eyes that stared right back at him.</p><p>Phantom blinks, a rush of heat in his cheeks as he finally asks, “Are you the one responsible for those weird hats?”</p><p>He probably should have sounded sterner, because it just sounds like a question rather than a demand. </p><p>The ghost stares at him a little more before they answer, “Not… really.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Phantom frowns.</p><p>“It <em>means</em> I know the guy that made them, but I didn’t actually put them on these people,” The ghost rolls their eyes. Well, at least they’re honest.</p><p>And like a switch was flipped, his frown turns into a scowl. “So you’re helping with them.”</p><p>The ghost blinks. “Well, yeah. It’s kind of my job.”</p><p>Cute or not, Phantom has a city to save. Pooling energy into his fists, he states, “I’m sorry, but I’ll need to have you lead me to your boss.”</p><p>“Why are you angry?”</p><p>What. “What?”</p><p>“I don’t understand,” The ghost goes on, waving their hands around expressively. Despite his disbelief, Phantom can’t help but notice that the swirls move independently from their hands. “These are to help the humans. Why are you angry?”</p><p>“<em>Help</em>?” He repeats, his voice getting louder. “Wha- You’re, what, putting them in eternal sleep or something? How is that helping them?!”</p><p>“I thought you’d understand, since you’re known to protect this town,” The ghost says, and Phantom is surprised to notice the disappointment in their voice. Then, with a stronger voice, they look up at Phantom and say, “If you won’t accept this, stay out of the way.”</p><p>Okay, this ghost is really grating on his nerves right now. “No way,” Phantom growls.</p><p>“I see,” the ghost sighs. Their hand starts to glow a light purple, and the stars in their palm focus into what looks like a black hole. Phantom prepares for an attack, but the blast falls flat as soon as it gets near his face.</p><p>“Ha, is that all-” He’s cut off by a yawn. He’s yawning? “Huh?”</p><p>“Goodnight,” The ghost smiles at him. </p><p>And everything goes black. </p><hr/><p>The next time Phantom wakes up, it’s to the sight of a dark starry night sky. </p><p>He sits up with a groan, feeling strangely well-rested despite having been knocked out. Well, knocked out would imply he was hit with something, but it was more like he was just… put gently to bed.</p><p>The memories flash into his head. For some reason, the image of the ghost’s gentle smile remained. Why, for someone who was seemingly an enemy, was he so gentle?</p><p>Phantom shakes his head. Now was not the time to be thanking the person that did this to him! He needs to follow that ghost. </p><p>Ah, he’ll just call the ghost Star. They looked like one anyway. Or he?</p><p>Wait, he’s getting distracted again! Damn it, focus, Phantom!</p><p>Floating up, Phantom focuses on sensing a trail. Usually, ghosts left a trail of energy behind them. It’s not visible, but pretty much any ghost can sense it if they focus hard enough. Phantom just happens to have honed that skill.</p><p>He finally catches a trail that seems to lead outside the town. Following it, Phantom gets farther and farther, until he’s all the way in an old pier facing multiple warehouses. There’s nothing in sight, but his ghost sense tells him that he’s close. </p><p>Phantom furrows his brow. This doesn’t feel like any other ghost. It feels almost… older. Following his senses to one of the buildings, he peaks into a broken window invisibly.</p><p>What he sees has him holding back a gasp of surprise. </p><p>That’s <em>Nocturne</em>. What the hell is a ghost as old as Nocturne doing here?</p><p>Studying the room, Phantom notices there seems to be a giant machine in the middle of it all. Surrounding the machine is an army of the exact same ghost he’d been chasing before. Curiously, Nocturne is hooked up to the device.</p><p>He thinks back to the weird sleep helmets. Could they be connected?</p><p>His eyes fall on Star, who’s standing near Nocturne, fidgeting with his hands nervously. He looks ready to speak, when Nocturne’s voice, calm and chilling, fills the room. </p><p>“Did you finish your job?”</p><p>“Y-Yes,” Star nods. “All of the humans here are dreaming.”</p><p>“Any obstacles?”</p><p>“None.”</p><p>Nocturne never even spares Star a glance, which, for some reason, really irks Phantom. But that thought flees as Phantom can’t help but stare at the way Nocturne nonchalantly waves his hand, releasing a swirl of starry dust from his hand onto the floor.</p><p>The dust takes form slowly, until another one of those crawlies is born.</p><p>So they weren’t actually ghosts? Maybe that’s why his ghost sense never went off around them. </p><p>“You’re hiding something from me.”</p><p>Star stiffens. “It’s really nothing-”</p><p>“Aster,” Nocturne glances at Star. “Speak.”</p><p>“U-Uh, well,” Star looks down. The galaxies on his body start swirling more erratically. “I ran into Phantom,” and then quickly, “But I dealt with him, so don’t worry!”</p><p>“How exactly did you <em>deal</em> with him?” Nocturne asks, the chill in his voice starting to sound more like a warning. “By knocking him out, I’m sure.”</p><p>Star curls in on himself. “He was going to fight me-”</p><p>“And what was stopping you from fighting back?”</p><p>Star falls silent. Nocturne turns toward Star fully. Phantom notices with a shiver that the stars on his body never moved with him, standing as still as his expression. So unlike Star’s little galaxies.</p><p>(What?)</p><p>“Well?” His voice seems to boom, as quiet as it is.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Star whispers.</p><p>Phantom is still annoyed about being knocked out, but that doesn’t stop him from feeling <em>something</em> toward Star’s position. From what he’s seeing so far, Star seems to be nonviolent and unwilling to fight, if Nocturne’s displeasure is anything to go by.</p><p>“I don’t know what I was expecting,” Nocturne says coldly, turning back to creating more creatures. “You’re dismissed.”</p><p>Star has a curious expression on his face, like something torn between disappointment and hurt, before he turns his face and floats away without a response.</p><p>Nocturne doesn’t look at him again.</p><p>Phantom floats down from the window. So he’s dealing with <em>Nocturne</em>, and he has some big plan that uses dreams, and he needs the machine and helmets to use them. Judging by the fact that he was hooked up to it, Phantom can only assume he’s getting energy from the dreams. But why?</p><p>His thoughts trail toward Star. He’s clearly working for Nocturne, but after that display, Phantom can’t bring himself to see Star as an enemy. Even when Star had to fight him, he didn’t. Not to mention how cold Nocturne is toward him… </p><p>Phantom can’t take Nocturne on his own, not with his army, but maybe… maybe he can convince Star to help him.</p><p>
  <em> “These are to help the humans. Why are you angry?” </em>
</p><p>Phantom blinks. It might be possible. Star <em>did </em>say he wants to help Amity Park, in his own weird way. </p><p>“What are you doing here?”</p><p>Phantom jolts, turning around to face an unamused Star, who has his arms crossed. “Oh, you know,” Phantom grins. “Just hanging out.”</p><p>Star stares at him for a moment, before he sighs. “You were watching us, weren’t you?”</p><p>“I can lie if you want,” he offers.</p><p>Star’s shoulders tremble for a moment, before they steady again. “No, nevermind. Just, get out of here. I told you to stay out of the way already.”</p><p>“And I remember I said <em>no way</em>,” Phantom retorts. </p><p>He isn’t sure why he’s trading sarcasm with a supposed enemy right now, but somehow, it feels natural, and the chill from before is gone. Star looks noticeably bolder as well.</p><p>“Look, despite what it looks like, this plan really is helping your town,” Star says, casting his eyes down. “Nocturne said that-”</p><p>“I saw what Nocturne said,” Phantom interrupts. “And I am not taking his word for anything. Not from a guy like that.”</p><p>Star falters, but it’s nothing like the full on curling-in from before. “Why? Despite his attitude-”</p><p>“Maybe if you tell me your big plan, you can change my mind,” Phantom suggests. If he could get an idea of Nocturne’s plan, that would ease a lot of things. Namely, convincing Star.</p><p>Star glances at the warehouse hesitantly, before nodding to himself and saying, “Well, the plan is to put people to sleep-”</p><p>“I noticed.”</p><p>Star shoots him an annoyed look, but keeps going, “-and get them dreaming. Then, we use their dreams to create enough energy for Nocturne to be able to expand his powers to other areas. That way, everyone can remain asleep in their dreams.”</p><p>Phantom can feel his head spinning. How in the name of the Ancients is <em>that</em> a plan to help people? From what he’s understanding, this is just a plan for Nocturne to gain more power, and any villain with too much power is a bad sign.</p><p>“Wait, hold on, time out!” Phantom holds up a hand. “Now explain to me <em>why</em> this is a plan for the greater good?”</p><p>“The humans will live in their dreams, where they’re happiest,” Star frowns. “They’ll live happily for the rest of their lives, with no more sorrow or pain. How <em>isn’t </em>that good?”</p><p>Phantom… isn’t sure if he’s annoyed or baffled. Annoyed because, again, <em>bad idea</em>, and baffled because Star actually looks <em>serious</em>.</p><p>Okay, time to switch tactics. </p><p>“But they’ll be basically living a lie,” Phantom points out, trying very hard not to sound like he’s this close to screaming. </p><p>“But they’ll be happy,” Star repeats, like that fixes <em>anything</em> about this messed up plan.</p><p>Phantom sighs. “Fine, say they do become happy in their dreams. What happens to those dreams? How are they being converted to energy?”</p><p>Star pauses. A strange expression crosses his face, and Phantom realizes that Star <em>knows</em>. He knows exactly how they will be converted. And Phantom dreads to realize as well.</p><p>“<em>No</em>.”</p><p>“Nocturne only needs a little bit-”</p><p>“Star, he’s <em>eating their dreams</em>!” Phantom snaps. “And do you seriously think he’ll just <em>stop</em> when he has enough power? News flash, they never do!”</p><p>“But he promised,” Star says, looking meek as his blue eyes look at him. “Nocturne promised he would stop as soon as-”</p><p>“Star, <em>think</em> about it,” Phantom pleads, floating closer. “You clearly want the best for Amity, I can see that, but eating their dreams and leaving them in eternal sleep? Do you really think they’ll be happy with living a lie over and over again as they keep getting eaten?”</p><p>His words finally start taking effect as Star’s form loosens, and his arms fall. Looking into his eyes, Star says quietly, “It’s the only way I know how to help them.”</p><p>“There are other ways,” Phantom says just as quietly. “Why do you think I protect this town no matter what they say about me?”</p><p>“Because you’re a hero?”</p><p>‘Well, that too,” he smiles a little. “But anyone can do it, you know.”</p><p>Star looks away from him. “I can’t.”</p><p>“Don’t say that,” Phantom frowns. He follows Star’s gaze. “If you help me take down this plan, you can-”</p><p>“I <em>can’t</em>!” Star yells.</p><p>Phantom pulls back at the outburst, and even Star looks surprised. He sighs, looking down. “I can’t go against him. I’m sorry. I know it’s wrong, but that’s the only way I can justify it with myself. If I don’t, I’ll hate myself even more,” he smiles bitterly at that.</p><p>Something about that is achingly familiar, and with a pang, Phantom realizes he’s heard it from his own lips. That same mantra of justifying his own existence just for others, Phantom is sadly familiar with it.</p><p>Feeling a weight in his gut, he says, “You don’t have to, though. You can stop helping him and try to help another way.”</p><p>“I’m not sure about that,” Star sighs. Glancing up at him, their gazes lock, and it stirs something deep inside Phantom. “Thank you for saying that, Phantom, but I really can’t. Just… leave.”</p><p>He doesn't <em>want </em>to.</p><p>And it’s not because of Nocturne.</p><p>After a moment of silence, Phantom finally musters up that little spark in his core and says, “I’ll be back. I’ll still try to take Nocturne down, but I’ll be back for you.”</p><p>“Why?” Star asks, looking vulnerable as his lips tremble and his eyes remain on him.</p><p>“I don’t know yet,” Phantom grins weakly. </p><p>Star looks at him, nods, and then fiddles with his fingers. “Alright.”</p><p>“Speaking of, can I get a name to the face?” he says just before he’s ready to leave.</p><p>“Oh, uh,” Star swallows. “My name…” he trails off, starts to say something, and then stops himself as he seems to finally decide on saying, “You can call me Danny.”</p><p>“Okay, Danny,” he smiles. “See ya.”</p><hr/><p>Phantom doesn’t really have a plan in terms of taking down Nocturne, but now that he knows his plan, at least he knows what might work. Like absorbing the ecto-energy from the dream helmets to stop them from transferring energy to Nocturne.</p><p>He can’t take them off, but at least he’s weakening Nocturne a little. Just a little more, and maybe Phantom can feel confident enough to take him on his own.</p><p>Eventually, Phantom has to go back to the warehouse so he can keep up to date about Nocturne’s current state, and he’s not disappointed. The first thing he sees when he peaks through the window is a much smaller Nocturne than last time.</p><p>His calm façade is still annoyingly there, though.</p><p>Phantom’s own calmness is broken when he catches sight of Danny floating into the room, their galaxies swirling just as beautifully as before. Actually, is it just him or are there less stars in the galaxies…?</p><p>He shakes his head. He needs to focus!</p><p>“Aster, what did you find?” Nocturne’s cold voice echoes in the room.</p><p>Danny looks at him nervously. “They’re still wearing the helmets, and they’re still dreaming. They <em>should</em> be giving you energy.”</p><p>“Well, they’re <em>not</em>.”</p><p>Danny flinches at the bite in the last word, and something rises in Phantom’s chest. It burns as Nocturne turns to his blank gaze to Danny’s nervous figure.</p><p>“You don’t happen to know why, do you?”</p><p>“N-No,” Danny says. The galaxies on his chest twist.</p><p>Wait, his chest? Danny doesn’t-</p><p>A gasp echoes, and Phantom recognizes it immediately. The void that made Danny so beautiful somehow starts <em>rising</em> until it’s almost completely covering him. It stops at the center of his chest.</p><p>The moment he sees Danny’s terrified face, Phantom regrets it. The burn in his core spreads. Damn it, he needs to keep a cool head, focus-</p><p>“You <em>know</em>, don’t you?” Nocturne’s voice bellows chillingly. He tightens his fist, and Danny gasps again, this time more choked.</p><p>“I don’t, I swear!” Danny denies, sounding unlike anything Phantom has heard before.</p><p>“It’s so very easy to break glass, isn’t it, Aster?” Nocturne comments as his gaze focuses on Danny. “I fear it is so very… fragile.”</p><p>Then it clicks in his head. The voids rising on his chest that weren’t there before, the pain, “glass”...</p><p>“I’m s-so-rry!” Danny chokes out, and it breaks Phantom to hear it sounds like a <em>sob</em>. Danny isn’t scared, he's <em>terrified</em> because <em>his</em><em> core is getting crushed</em>.</p><p>“Sorry isn’t going to cut letting Phantom ruin my plans,” Nocturne says, his eyes glowing. “Perhaps I haven’t made myself clear enough. You know what happens when I’m gone, don’t you?”</p><p>The void leaves Danny’s chest and sinks back down to his waist. It feels like <em>Phantom</em> is the one saved as heaves a deep relieved sigh, his core thrumming rapidly.</p><p>Danny doesn’t answer, but Phantom has already connected the dots.</p><p>The fact that Nocturne could choke Danny with what seemed to be <em>Danny’s </em>powers, the way Danny said he couldn’t leave Nocturne… </p><p>“Say it,” Nocturne demands.</p><p>“I… disappear,” Danny whispers.</p><p>It feels the entire world has crashed down on Phantom.</p><p>By defeating Nocturne, he’d be killing Danny.</p><p>
  <em> He’d be killing Danny. </em>
</p><p>“That’s right,” Nocturne croons mockingly. “You’ll be killed by your precious Phantom. Do you really want that?”</p><p>“No, I-” Danny pauses. “I don’t know.”</p><p>“He wants to defeat me. Without me, you’re <em>nothing</em>,” Nocturne floats closer to Danny, and the urge to scream rises in Phantom’s throat. His grip on the wall tightens. “It’s him or you. Choose.”</p><p>“I can’t,” Danny says meekly, looking away from Nocturne. </p><p>Nocturne doesn’t let him, grabbing his chin. “How selfish of you, Aster. I thought Phantom would be your first decision.”</p><p>“I-”</p><p>“That’s right,” Nocturne says eerily. “That’s why you <em>need </em>me. You need me so you can be selfish. After all, it’s the only way to make up for your failings, isn’t it?”</p><p>Danny looks so fragile, and it’s eating at Phantom as he tries to keep himself from jumping over the wall. He can’t beat Nocturne on his own, he needs to plan-</p><p>
  <em> Him or you. </em>
</p><p>He swallows. Then, quietly, Danny’s voice echoes, “Yes, I need you. But I also know that these people are suffering because of you. And Phantom… Phantom can save them. If that means defeating you-”</p><p>“You foolish naïve <em>child</em>,” Nocturne’s voice goes deep, like a growl. “He’s going to <em>kill</em> you.”</p><p>Danny wavers, opens his mouth, closes it, then, sad and hurt, “I know.”</p><p>
  <em> Him. </em>
</p><p>“No, you don’t.”</p><p>Ah, crap. Still, despite the panic in his chest, Phantom still speaks loudly, “You think I’m just going to let you disappear on me, Star? <em>No way</em>.”</p><p>“Phantom,” Danny gasps. </p><p>“Phantom,” Nocturne drawls. He pushes Danny away roughly, and the burn rises in Phantom’s chest again. “I see you’re finally here to kill your friend.”</p><p>“No, I’m here to stop <em>you</em> and <em>save</em> Danny,” He growls, his eyes glowing. Danny startles at that, that little bit of light filling his eyes again. Feeling empowered by Danny’s fragile hope, Phantom turns his determined gaze to the towering figure of Nocturne.</p><p>“I’ve weakened you, that means you’re not as powerful as before,” he says. </p><p>“I’m still more powerful than you, though,” Nocturne laughs. He tightens his glowing fists, and Phantom almost ignores it until he hears a pained gasp from Danny. He watches in horror as Nocturne slowly pulls every galaxy from Danny’s void, until all that’s left is weakly twinkling stars.</p><p>And then he stretches forward, and in a terrifying moment, his blank face fills Phantom’s vision so suddenly, the next blow from his glowing red eyes startles him enough for him to be blasted into the wall.</p><p>“Phantom!” Danny yells.</p><p>The sound of running echoes, and then more laughter. “You think you can defend him in your powerless state. I <em>created you</em>. Now, you’re <em>nothing</em>!”</p><p>A shadow falls on Phantom just as he’s sitting up, and he’s surprised to stare at the black starry back that is Danny’s protection. “No, I’m not,” Danny says, sounding so scared yet so brave. “You miscalculated.”</p><p>“Did I?” Nocturne sounds amused.</p><p>“Yes, you did,” Danny growls. Turning to Phantom, Danny’s grim expression softens into a familiar soft smile. “Do you trust me?”</p><p>Phantom doesn’t hesitate. “Yes.”</p><p>His smile lifts even more. “Then I need you to distract Nocturne long enough for me to get to him.”</p><p>“You got it,” Phantom grins. He stands up, asking, “What are you gonna do?”</p><p>“I don’t know yet,” Danny laughs. “But I’ve got a hunch.”</p><p>“That’s the best plan there is,” he agrees. Powering his fists, he floats up and starts blasting at Nocturne. While most of them simply get absorbed into his void, Phantom keeps going, flying away just in time to avoid a blast aimed toward him.</p><p>“You missed, sucker!” He yells, because taunting is the best way to distract, always.</p><p>Behind Nocturne, he can see Danny running toward the machine and placing his hand on it. Then, he pulls away and grins, and Phantom realizes that this is a conformation. That the machine is no longer connected.</p><p>He’s no longer gaining power.</p><p>Even then, he can feel the blasts that hit him successfully, pushing him back.</p><p>“I’m… not… done… yet,” he grunts. Powering a ball of charged ice in his hand, he throws it at Nocturne, freezing his center for just a second.</p><p>And just a second is all Danny needs as he, with all his power, turns intangible and… goes into Nocturne’s void?</p><p>Nocturne laughs. “You think that’s going to hel-”</p><p>He freezes, and with a small gasp, Phantom notices that <em>the galaxies are lessening</em>. Danny’s doing it! Keeping up the plan, Phantom takes the chance to throw a wave of ectoplasmic blasts at Nocturne, which successfully blasts him into his own machine, destroying it.</p><p>“Nononono-” Nocturne gasps as he stands up. “I’m… losing my power! You <em>insolent child</em>, do you have any idea-”</p><p>“Yup,” Phantom grins as he clicks on his belt, releasing an icy blue cube. Charging it up, he yells, “It means <em>goodbye</em> sucker!”</p><p>And just before the cube hits Nocturne, Danny phases out of him, collapsing into a tired heap as he pants on his knees. But the smile on his lips as they watch Nocturne get absorbed is well worth it.</p><p>When the cube finally falls, silence fills the room.</p><p>Did they just…</p><p>They did! They defeated Nocturne! Overwhelmed joy fills his core. Turning to Danny, he beams, “WE DID IT!”</p><p>Danny coughs. “H-Hell yeah, we did.”</p><p>The victory fades as he takes in Danny’s exhausted state. Then, just as the cube finally releases Nocturne into the ghost zone, Danny gasps.</p><p>“Danny?” he yells, rushing toward him.</p><p>“Wait, don’t-”</p><p>“What’s wro-”</p><p>And one glance down says it all.</p><p>The pools of void that once decorated Danny’s skin were gone. Leaving an expanse of exposed flesh-</p><p>Oh.</p><p>Flushing a bright green, Phantom turns away quickly. “S-Sorry.”</p><p>“I tried to warn you,” Danny giggles weakly behind him. “Now that he’s gone, his hold over me, that ‘cloak’, is gone.”</p><p>“That means he can’t control you anymore, right?” he feels a smile grow despite the embarrassment and the hyper-awareness in his core.</p><p>“Yeah,” Danny laughs, and it’s the best sound Phantom has heard all day. Then, “Uhm, you think you can find me something to wear? I’m not used to these powers yet…”</p><p>“Y-Yeah, of course!” He stutters, blushing at the reminder. As he looks around the room for a bed sheet or <em>anything</em>, he finally remembers, “Wait, you said something about powers?”</p><p>“Oh, yeah,” Danny says, and somehow Phantom can see his grin. “I merged my powers with his, and then I pulled them away from him, so I managed to absorb most of what kept him going. I’ll have to get used to this amount of power. He… never let me have this much before.”</p><p>He finally stumbles upon an old blanket, but it will have to do for now. He holds it out behind him, and waits for Danny to wear it before turning around.</p><p>Somehow, despite the damage on him, Danny still managed to look like the image of joy, with his big smile, glowing freckles, and shining blue eyes.</p><p>He can’t stop the urge to hug Danny, pulling him close gently as he wraps his arms around him and whispers, “I’m glad you’re okay.”</p><p>“I am too,” Danny giggles into his neck. “You really are a hero.”</p><p>“Nah, <em>you </em>were the real hero today,” Phantom grins as he pulls away, feeling a satisfied warmth in his core at the lack of a distance between them.</p><p>Danny’s black and blue eyes stare at him for a moment before he flushes what looks to be purple and looks away shyly. Pulling the blanket closer, he asks, “So, uh, what now?”</p><p>“<em>Now</em>,” Phantom smiles impishly, “I carry you home dramatically and heroically, and we discuss your rooming rules.”</p><p>Danny looks at him in surprise. “Are you-”</p><p>Flushing again, he realizes what he just said. “Y-Yeah. You… don’t have anywhere to go so I figured you can… live in my lair? And maybe… hang with me in Amity or something.”</p><p>A new light fills Danny’s eyes as they positively <em>glow</em> with joy. “Really?”</p><p>“Really,” he smiles despite the cheesiness of it all.</p><p>“Okay,” Danny laughs beautifully. He holds out his arms awkwardly due to the sheet, teasingly demanding, “Now carry me home like you said you would, hero.”</p><p>“It would be my pleasure,” he grins as he scoops Danny into a bridal carry. Danny yelps, but he’s laughing too, so that’s okay.</p><p>That night marks the birth of a beautiful bond, and the appearance of Phantom’s new friend and occasional ghost-fighting partner, Star.</p><p>And if the town speculates how long it will take them to get together, then, well, they’re not wrong.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Of Fond Musings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>1.  Danny appreciates the sight of Phantom fighting and pines.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ahahaha, so, funny story, this was supposed to be a 3+1 sort of deal... It became 4 individual chapters because I have No Self-Control™. Whoops.</p><p>ALSO ALSO: Huge thanks to my co-author and beta, Fallen, for bringing out the potential in this chapter, and the rest of the story. Where would I be without you? &lt;3</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Danny knew about Phantom long before he met him. </p><p>That isn’t necessarily strange, as any ghost in the Ghost Zone has heard of him by now. Rumors of how he’s protecting humans by fighting his own kind spread through the Zone quickly. In his experience, Danny’s found that ghosts usually fall into two categories when they hear these rumors: the angry and the indifferent.</p><p>The names speak for themselves. The angry get mad and feel betrayed that Phantom chose humans over ghosts (the whole fighting bit isn’t as big a deal as ghost fights within the Ghost Zone are fairly regular), while the indifferent just shrug off this new information and go about their days.</p><p>Danny doesn’t fit into any of these groups.</p><p>Now, one thing that Nocturne’s drilled into Danny’s head is that he is unnatural. He was born a normal ghost, but was inevitably too weak to form a shape and was doomed to dissolve. Until Nocturne found him and saw a sliver of value in him. Enough of a sliver for Nocturne to spark Danny’s core back to life and give him power.</p><p>At least, that’s what he’s been told.</p><p>Danny wasn’t even sure that he counted as a ghost anymore. He might as well be one of Nocturne’s Dream Walkers, following orders without a second thought.</p><p>That being said, he feels no such attachment toward his kin, so he really can’t say he felt any sort of betrayal by Phantom’s appearance. Still, he wasn’t exactly indifferent, either… </p><p>Danny’s snuck into the human realm before. He’s seen how humans live. Sometimes he’d spend hours just watching them go about their days. And if there’s anything he’s noticed, it’s that humans are miserable. Oh, he’s seen them laugh and have fun, but Danny’s also seen a great number of tired and worn-out humans that muttered to themselves and even cried when they thought nobody was looking.</p><p>Every time he witnessed this, Danny could never look away. A strange feeling would always fill his core and leave him standing there, unable to do anything but stare. And every time, Danny would see again and again just how much misery humans’ smiles hide.</p><p>Every tear felt like a pang in Danny’s core, an unexplainable desire rising in him that he couldn’t fulfill. He wanted them to be happy, to live their dreams and not have to suffer in the grand scheme of time and life. But how could he help them? No matter how much he wanted to, Nocturne’s apathy toward human emotion always held him back.</p><p>Then came Phantom. This ghost, the one that had stirred up so much talk in the Ghost Zone, brought something to the sleepy town of Amity Park. Something that seemed to be missing. Something like <em>hope</em>.</p><p>In the past, Danny wasn’t always there to witness a fight break out, but whenever it did happen, he could never seem to look away. Not from Phantom’s determined protection, and not from the awe in the humans’ eyes as they watched their hero protect them.</p><p>And if he lingered long enough, an odd ache would fill his chest. Something raw and alien, yet comforting. And if he lingered for even longer, to see the humans mull about the battlefield, he’d sometimes find himself wondering if this was what they felt, too. </p><p>Sometimes, he’d start to wonder about the effect Phantom had, and the ache would twist and change. He’d find himself wondering, then wishing, then yearning to jump in and <em> help. </em> Somehow. </p><p>But he knows he can’t, so he just watches. Almost like a true ghost; observing, but never doing.</p><p><em> Maybe that’s why this moment feels so surreal, </em>Danny thinks—right as an ectoplasmic blast is launched into the unsuspecting ghost of the day. The intruder is sent flying backward into a building, right across from where he, himself, stood. </p><p>With a grin on his face, Phantom flies upward to the spot the ghost had previously occupied and lets out a peppy jeer. “And that’s a strike!” </p><p>Laughing quietly, Danny can’t quite stifle his grin as Phantom keeps the barrage of blasts going—but it’s not because of the ghost getting its butt kicked. No, it’s because of the childish glee in Phantom’s eyes, hidden to everyone except Danny as they glow brightly. Phantom might not even know about it himself, but it’s just so juvenile and... <em> cute. </em></p><p>At that thought, he can feel a heat bloom in his cheeks.</p><p>… That’s another surreal thing that Danny hasn’t completely grasped yet: these newfound feelings that Phantom stirs deep inside him that send his core and mind into a flustered frenzy.</p><p><em> Bam! </em> A rocket flies out of the building that the ghost had been tossed into, flying directly toward Phantom. With a nonchalance that Danny just <em> knows </em>will infuriate the other ghost, Phantom side steps out of the way.</p><p>“Don’t you ever get tired of having your butt kicked, Skulker?” Phantom taunts. A look of realization crosses his features, then, and he adds with a groan, “Hey, you totally ruined my evening plans!” </p><p>The ghost—Skulker—sends Phantom a disgruntled sneer. “I’d hardly call midday <em> evening, </em>Whelp.”</p><p>Danny’s grin grows as he listens to the exchange. He wouldn’t go so far as to call their plans <em> completely </em> ruined. This is plenty entertaining on its own; he almost wishes he had popcorn.</p><p>He watches as Phantom splits his legs to avoid a blast and laughs into his hand when he sees that his friend is rolling his eyes.</p><p>“Just hold <em> still </em>!” Skulker yells in annoyance. He aims his arm-gun-thing at Phantom with a growl. “No need to drag this out any longer than it needs to.”</p><p>“Speaking of dragging, I’m getting really bored over here,” Phantom says, crossing his arms. “Got any cool upgrades to share, or are you just hell bent on taking up all my time? Because I have plans. And you're not part of them.”</p><p>“You insolent little-” Skulker is cut off as Phantom sends a wave of ice toward his weapon. Upon contact, the metal freezes over, blocking the barrel and shorting out all the wiring.</p><p>“That’s the fourth gun you’ve ruined this week!” Skulker fumes, then points toward Danny with a frown. “At least <em> Aster </em> has the decency to respect our property!”</p><p>“Yeah, because Star is nicer and doesn’t want you to go crying home to your <em> girlfriend,” </em> Phantom taunts. Then, he charges forward with a glowing fist and punches Skulker, sending him flying. </p><p>Danny leans his head back to watch the metal ghost arc through the air and disappear behind a building. He stands perfectly still, listening for the sound of jet engines to indicate that Skulker is returning for another shot, but hears nothing.</p><p>Understanding that Phantom won, a small flame ignites in Danny’s chest. He’s been honing his own fighting skills with Phantom’s help lately, but he never came close to sending ghosts flying like that. The amount of force and strength that requires…</p><p>His cheeks begin to burn again. </p><p>So caught up in watching Phantom drift forward to capture Skulker, he doesn't notice that he’d set a hand on said burning cheek. He does notice, or well, <em> hear </em>himself sigh almost dreamily. With a bewildered blink, he slowly removes his hand. Then he shakes his head, the fire in his chest quelling a little as Phantom disappears out of sight behind the building Skulker was launched toward.</p><p>It was strange; ever since Danny started to take notice of Phantom’s strength and experience, these little sparks of warmth have been appearing inside him. More notably when Danny doesn't need to jump into battle and can just watch and appreciate the sight of Phantom as he fights.</p><p>It really is something else.</p><p>A distant metallic scream sounds in the air just as a loud <em> pop </em> silences it, and Danny knows that this means the fight is officially over. Floating toward where Phantom is now hovering, he grins. “That was amazing!” </p><p>Phantom turns, his cheeks turning neon when he notices that Danny left his rooftop perch. “You think so? I-It was really nothing.”</p><p>“You totally kicked his ass!” Danny says, smiling at the strangely familiar expression. He’s seen it on Phantom’s face a lot, but he could never pinpoint what it meant. </p><p>Phantom laughs at his remark and something entirely different sparks inside of Danny. Something light and tingly that has him laughing along.</p><p>A voice below them calls for Phantom, and it reminds Danny just where they’re floating. Right. Ghost fight means crowd.</p><p>Phantom looks down, then says to Danny, “Gimme a sec.”</p><p>“Alright.” </p><p>Phantom floats down to talk to a small group of fans, each of their eyes shining brightly as they crowd around him. They spoke with an awe-filled eagerness and curiosity. Instead of pushing them away, Phantom lands on the street so he can be closer.</p><p>Watching as Phantom laughs at something a human says, Danny can feel that same warmth from before stir in his core. <em> Really, </em> Danny sighs fondly, <em> how can anyone hate a dork like this? </em></p><p>A human gestures to where Danny is still floating, and apprehension rises in him when Phantom suddenly blushes. What were they saying? Another human says something that Danny can’t quite hear and Phantom’s blush darkens. Were they talking about him? Were they thanking Phantom? Phantom <em>does </em>blush easily at praise... It’s adorable, and Danny can never get enough of it.</p><p>Eventually, Phantom rises up to meet him. Danny hears him muttering something about “brats” and “know-it-alls” before he catches his gaze and freezes. A moment later, Phantom’s lips melt into a smile.</p><p>“Sorry for the wait,” Phantom says, rubbing the back of his neck. “They were… really excited.”</p><p>“I can see that,” Danny hums. Grinning teasingly, he adds, “You gonna spill the tea?”</p><p>Phantom shakes his head, huffing out a laugh. “I regret teaching you that phrase. And no.”</p><p>“Aww. Don’t get shy on me now, Phantom! Tell me,” he whines, leaning forward with a childish pout.</p><p>“No,” Phantom laughs, pushing his face away. </p><p>“<em>Fine</em>,” he relents with an exaggerated sigh. “I bet it was something really embarrassing anyway.” He leans in closer again, grinning. “You can’t hide it; I saw your face!”</p><p>Phantom gives him a strange look. “I wouldn’t really call it embarrassing.” </p><p>
  <em> Huh?  </em>
</p><p>Before he can ask, Phantom is already continuing, “Anyway, I think the theater is still open, so let’s go catch that movie!”</p><p>Now that was just <em> cheating. </em> Phantom knows how much Danny loves movies; he totally said that to distract him! But still, if he’s <em> offering... </em></p><p>“Okay!” He agrees embarrassingly fast. “Can we-”</p><p>“-watch the same cheesy romcom we’ve been watching all week?” Phantom interrupts, quirking an amused smile.</p><p>“Am I really that predictable?” Danny pouts. And then, no less than a second later, “... and yes.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say you’re <em> predictable. </em> More like <em> adorably </em> unoriginal<em>,” </em> Phantom corrects teasingly. “Like a kid on Halloween that’s been a cat for the past three years.”</p><p>“Halloween?” he asks. Then he processes the rest of what Phantom said, and he squawks indignantly, “<em>Hey</em>!”</p><p>“Don’t think too hard on it,” Phantom chuckles. “Let’s go before they close. Maybe we can even snag some popcorn before the mob finds us!” Then, without any warning, he turns and darts away. “Race you there!”</p><p>“Hey!” Danny yelps in surprise as Phantom disappears around a building, his laughter echoing behind him like a juvenile child. “That’s cheating! <em> Come back here</em>!”</p><p>Unbeknownst to the two friends, somewhere down below, a girl whoops as she’s handed five dollars from her grumbling friend.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Psssst, Phantom pines next!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Of Flustered Musings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>2. Phantom appreciates the sight of Danny clothes-shopping and pines.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>number 2 out of the og 3+1, let's go!!! </p><p>And for all my readers: thank you for your support thus far! I hope you keep supporting me as we go on uwu. I said this in the end notes, but I'll say it again to clarify: my updates will frequent at once a week, but there WILL be times when I start slacking or get writer's block. Thankfully I've written out until chapter 6, so that shouldn't be for a while yet. But keep that in mind.</p><p>Okay, enough nonsense. ENJOY!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>There are certain memories that never quite leave Phantom. He tries not to linger on them often, but there are just some things that he can’t forget. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Some are terrifying, like the twisted snarl of an enemy hell bent on obliterating him from existence; or glimpses of fearful humans scrambling for shelter from debris and projectiles while he’s caught in a particularly destructive fight. And sometimes those things are haunting, like the frantic calls of a mother trying to find her child in the midst of a ghost attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yet, some are not-so-terrifying; like the sight of a family hugging after an exceptionally close call, or the relieved tears of a mother as she pulls her found child from Phantom’s arms. But those are mostly common experiences that Phantom’s learned to expect. Some memories, however, were pleasantly unexpected—like Danny agreeing to room with him all those months ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or the sight of a suddenly naked Danny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, wait, that sounds wrong. What Phantom </span>
  <em>
    <span>means </span>
  </em>
  <span>to say is that seeing Danny like… </span>
  <em>
    <span>that…</span>
  </em>
  <span> after an especially heated battle with a much stronger foe was more… embarrassing rather than not-so-terrifying. Definitely unexpected, considering he was high on the relief of beating said foe-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That still sounds wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, Phantom…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Phantom starts, jolting out of his thoughts. “Are you do-” He turns to face Danny, only for his brain to come to a screeching halt as his eyes fall on him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny stands by the curtain of a dressing room, looking uncertain with his eyes fixed to the ground, but Phantom can barely register anything beyond the sight he’s greeted with. Hanging off of Danny’s narrow shoulders is a loose, cropped black NASA hoodie that stops right at the beginning of his high-waisted jeans. The jeans were a pearly white and form-fitting, wrapping nicely around the curve of his waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom’s eyes stop at Danny’s waistline, where a small sliver of purple peeks at him. Danny shifts nervously, and the hoodie rises just enough to reveal more skin. Phantom’s gaze lingers there for a second too long, and he has to shake his head to snap himself out of his trance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He then trails his eyes further down and—oh, Ancients, are those </span>
  <em>
    <span>heeled boots?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew it looked weird.” At Danny’s dejected sigh, Phantom’s eyes snap back up to his friend’s face, right in time to see him turn back toward the dressing room. “I’ll-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NO!” He yelps. Danny blinks at him in surprise, and Phantom really hates how useless his brain is right now. Noticing that Danny is staring at him, he clears his throat. “I mean, it doesn’t. You look… good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny smiles tentatively, a dust of purple on his cheeks. “Y-You think so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” he swallows. “Definitely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s smile lifts into a beam, which does dangerous things to Phantom’s core. “Thanks! Can I get this outfit, too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you before, starlight. Get as many as you want,” Phantom says. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, please do. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows a simple outfit shouldn’t affect him this much, but there is just something so alluring about the way Danny looks right now. Maybe it’s the sight of something different on that lithe frame, or maybe it’s the way Danny’s galaxies shifted with his excitement and added to the look in general. All Phantom knows is that it’s definitely more than just a simple outfit because it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Danny</span>
  </em>
  <span> wearing said simple outfit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, Phantom’s been in the human realm for a good while now, and one thing he’s noticed is that humans tend to dress very strangely. He’s had human girls drape themselves over him in much less, and he never reacted like this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not until Danny.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What he said, honey,” a voice pipes in behind Phantom, who yelps and whips around, only to come face-to-face with the shop owner, Ms. Katie. She was giving them both a soft, almost fond smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom is still getting used to that soft look on humans. Danny somehow had this effect on them. A calming, tender side brought out in even the most aggressive humans Phantom has encountered. Not saying that Ms. Katie was aggressive. But still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ms. Katie smiles and adds with a nod toward Danny's outfit, “Get as many as you want. Consider it a gift for all your hard work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Danny smiles at her. Then, directed at Phantom, he says, “I’ll try one more and then we can leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure thing,” Phantom answers, </span>
  <span>his own expression growing soft at the light in Danny's eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny walks back into the changing booth, and Phantom heaves a sigh, though he wouldn’t quite call it one of relief. A stifled chuckle sounds behind him, which startles him again. “Ms. Katie,” he greets awkwardly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Moving to stand beside Phantom, she returns, “Phantom.” Then, her lips stretch into a knowing grin. “You have it bad, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom groans. “Please spare me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spare you? From what?” Ms. Katie's grin becomes something Phantom would describe as sly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Danny?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom makes a distressed sound, and Ms. Katie laughs. Not in a mean sense—just light amusement. She leans a little closer to him. “I'm afraid you're already being affected by him all on your own. I can't do much more to make it worse.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom gives her a confused look, but Ms. Katie merely smiles wider.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that I blame you. He really is precious, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I know,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Phantom thinks, smiling like a dork. He nearly says this thought out loud, but catches himself. Still, Ms. Katie already caught the dopey look in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of saying anything, Ms. Katie merely looks back toward the dressing room. They stand for a few minutes, waiting for Danny to return. Eventually, Ms. Katie breaks the silence. “You know, he doesn’t need to ask you for your opinion every time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t sound mean when she says it, which confuses Phantom. “What do you mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” she says quickly. “Find me when you need me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walks back to the counter, leaving Phantom to his thoughts. He stares at the curtain for a moment. Despite the overall mess on his part, Phantom is glad he took Danny out today. Seeing his friend smile so much is a welcome memory, and he knows this is one he won’t be forgetting for a while.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, Phantom hadn’t understood when Danny shyly asked him one day if he could get some new clothes. It confused him, since Danny had his new cloak now. He can just alter it to cover himself however he wants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When asked about it, Danny had responded, “I just… really want to have something outside of my powers, you know? I don’t want my whole life to be defined by them, especially now that I’m finally free.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The request struck a chord with him. While Phantom didn’t have an ectoplasmic cloak like Danny, he understood the desire to want to be known as someone beyond feats of strength and impressive powers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s why he went through the effort of personalizing his suit. Phantom hadn’t even been considering what he would wear in the human realm when Frostbite had offered to help him make a battle suit. It surprised him at the time, seeing his friend so openly supporting his goal, despite how whimsical it had seemed to the rest of the Far Frozen. Still, he eagerly accepted the offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spent </span>
  <em>
    <span>weeks</span>
  </em>
  <span> working on the design, from what material to use to what kind of gadgets Phantom would potentially need in his endeavors. And when it was finally time to create their design, Phantom made sure he was there for </span>
  <em>
    <span>every </span>
  </em>
  <span>part of it. Hell, he was the one that stitched it! He knows every piece of material, every strong seam that holds the suit together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It isn’t just a suit. It feels like carrying a piece of home with him wherever he goes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It reminds Phantom that he's more than just a ghost. That he's more than just a proclaimed hero. That he is a person with a family, a home, and something to protect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he thinks this, the curtain rustles, signaling that Danny is done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom looks up, and a rush of heat floods his cheeks. This time, Danny is wearing a hoodie with galaxies splattered all over it. Phantom notes with a clench in his gut that it looks to be one size too big on him. As his eyes drift down, he sees that Danny chose to wear knee-length shorts, the rest of his legs covered in a beautifully familiar cloak of stars and galaxies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Did Phantom mention how much he loves that cloak? He’s seen Danny in a full cloak before (not a happy memory), but somehow, seeing it distributed differently, and with a mix of clothing, is a very refreshing sight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s eyes are practically glowing when he says, “I really like this one! I don’t know what this is called, but it’s so </span>
  <em>
    <span>warm.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Almost as if to emphasize that, his arms wrap around his middle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s called a hoodie,” He offers, his flush only growing. “And it… really suits you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Danny smiles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom isn’t sure why he’s thanking him, when he feels like he should be thanking Danny for this wonderful sight. Still, he answers with a smile, “I’m just glad you’re having fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am,” Danny fiddles with the string of the hoodie, twirling it around a starry hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The movement distracts Phantom as his eyes seem to zero in on Danny’s hands, the void of space twinkling with numerous stars and unexplored galaxies. He wonders briefly if any of those galaxies even exist in the human realm or if they are only unique to Danny. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny’s voice cuts through his thoughts. “You didn’t hear a single word I said, did you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry,” he rubs the back of his neck. “I was just, uh, thinking.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny starts to say something, but stops, seeming to rethink it. “Whatever, it wasn’t important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, Phantom doubts that. Danny’s blush is very telling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, don’t say that,” he frowns. Reaching out, he places a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Nothing you say is unimportant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny looks at him strangely, like something caught between surprise and uncertainty. After another moment of hesitation, he clears his throat and says, “I was just saying that we should… do this again.” After a pause, he adds, “I mean, only if you want to! I don’t want to be a bother or anythi-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom doesn’t even hesitate to answer, “Of course, we can! If this makes you happy, we can do it whenever you want!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His smile lifts a little. “Are you sure?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would I lie to you?” Phantom says in mock shock, pressing a hand above his core dramatically. “You wound me, starlight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom can feel the ectoplasm in his core start to swirl as Danny giggles at his display. “You’re such a dork sometimes. I never said that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were implying it,” He tries for a pout, but he can’t stop the smile that stretches his lips, ruining the effect. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I would never,” Danny waves a dismissive hand at him. “Not unless you were actually lying about liking the movies I choose?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, they can get boring with repetition, but it’s not like Phantom focuses on the movies at all. Not that he’d tell Danny that... “I’m not!” He affirms with a frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I’m just teasing,” Danny laughs. “I know you’d never lie to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The amount of trust Danny puts in Phantom is overwhelming sometimes. Especially when combined with that open expression on his face; the one where his eyes would light up and twinkle like the stars on his form, highlighted by his glowing freckles. Powers are very telling, Phantom knows this from experience. Seeing Danny’s powers coming out so freely around him, no matter how small the gesture, is very sweet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s good,” Phantom says, and is about to add more when he notices that Danny is staring at him. He gazes back curiously, and Danny immediately bursts into a purple flush as he realizes he’s been caught. “What, is there something on my face?” He teases.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“N-No, your face is-” Danny cuts himself off awkwardly. He shuffles nervously, adding, “It’s fine. I just, kind of… foundyousomething?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” He asks. “I didn’t catch that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I found you something,” Danny repeats, fumbling with his fingers. “Back when we were finding stuff to try. You don’t have to accept, I kind of just grabbed it on a whim-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, show me,” he says, feeling a flutter in his core.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Danny agrees tentatively. “Remember, if you hate it, just tell me to put it back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I doubt I can hate anything you choose,” Phantom laughs. “I mean, have you seen the outfits you chose? You have a good eye for these things.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That lifts the shyness from Danny’s face. “Alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny rushes off to get his thing, and Phantom waits patiently, feeling a nervous eagerness in his core because </span>
  <em>
    <span>Danny got him something!</span>
  </em>
  <span> When he didn’t even ask him to!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny comes back with a white cloth in his arms. He holds it out to Phantom, who has to physically stop himself from grabbing it like an overly-eager kid opening a present.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He unfolds it… and immediately flushes. This… this is the same hoodie Danny is wearing right now, but in white rather than black. The realization crashes into Phantom just as Danny stutters out, “It’s really cheesy but… I thought it would be nice if we… y’know… matched…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny trails off. Phantom would check on him, but he’s too distracted trying not to explode into a flustered pile of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Danny got us matching hoodies, oh, Ancients-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>When he doesn’t reply at first, Danny asks, “What do you think?” Phantom looks up and Danny averts his eyes. “I-I hope it’s not too bright or anything, but I just thought that…” he mumbles something, and then says clearer, “I thought it would match your hair and aura.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lowering the hoodie, Phantom can’t help his own shy smile. “I love it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Danny lights up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh-huh,” he nods. On a whim, he pulls it above his head and over his suit. It looks a little awkward with how thin his suit-covered legs look when compared to the baggy hoodie, but he doesn’t even consider taking it off. Not after seeing the way Danny’s face lights up in a dust of purple.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It suits you,” Danny says with something like a sigh in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good,” Phantom grins, “because I’m not taking this off until it needs to be washed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t need to do that,” Danny laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I want to,” Phantom shrugs. “And, look, we match now!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny flushes a darker purple, but his smile never leaves his face. “Yeah. We do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes them a while, but they eventually gather what they want to keep before heading over to the register where Ms. Katie packs everything with an amused smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And if she pulls Phantom back just to teasingly say, “You really oughta tell him sooner or later,” then that’s nobody’s business but his own.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Of Effortless Trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>3. Phantom helps Danny practice his ecto-blasts, and something slips.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>3/4, yay! We're almost there, folks! owo</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Danny’s first impression of Amity Park was that it’s just a sleepy town on the edge of nowhere. But the longer he stayed, the more he realized just how strange that descriptor was. After all, the town suffered regular ghost attacks, and even had its own hero protecting it! Nothing about that was “sleepy,” and yet, it still somehow fit.</p><p>Now, standing in the middle of a deserted clearing, Danny thinks that word <em> definitely </em> fits. In Harmony Forest, without the bustle of humans crowding around or the sounds of noisy machinery, the world became still. Silent. Almost… <em>calm.  </em></p><p>However, <em>he</em> didn’t feel calm. At all. </p><p>Danny turns in a circle, taking in the sight of what <em> used </em> to be a perfectly replicated Phantom-made ice forest. Used to be, because all that was left were chunks of ice and scattered puddles of ectoplasmic “water.”</p><p>Somewhere from behind, Phantom whistles. The air next to him shifts, getting colder, and Danny knows that means his friend has moved to stand beside him. “Wow, you did it again.”</p><p>“I know,” he grumps, crossing his arms. “Why can’t I get it right?”</p><p>“I told you, Danny,” Phantom sighs. He floats toward a steaming pile of ice, watching it melt with a wince. “You’re putting too much heat into your blasts.”</p><p>“I thought you said I was putting too much power into them,” Danny frowns. “Which is it?”</p><p>Phantom shrugs. “Both, technically. The more power you use, the hotter the blasts will be. Just try reigning it in a little.”</p><p>“Great,” he huffs. “Add that to the growing list of things I suck at.”</p><p>“Hey, don’t say that,” Phantom frowns and moves to stand in front of Danny, placing his hands on his shoulders comfortingly. “These things take time, starlight,” he tries for an encouraging smile. “Just a little practice, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time!”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Danny looks down at his steaming hands. The previously bright galaxies had become dying stars sometime in the last hour. Their dull shine told him that he really did push too far. Again. “Maybe I’m just not meant to use this power.”</p><p>“Danny,” Phantom says slowly. “You know you have to.”</p><p>“Do I really?” He asks meekly. </p><p>“<em>Yes.</em> Or do you expect to keep fighting ghosts by knocking them out or distracting them?” Phantom raises a brow at him. </p><p>“What’s wrong with that?”</p><p>“<em>Danny</em>,” Phantom exhales. “We talked about this.” Then, giving him an imploring look, he says, “You said you wanted to help me, and this is how. You can’t fight by playing nice.”</p><p>Danny knows that. He really does! But the boost in power that he’d gotten from Nocturne had sent his core, and his powers by proxy, into a confused frenzy. And by frenzy, he means the new powers he’d gained that were so strong he kept accidentally launching himself backward and causing mayhem whenever they went off. In essence, he was left struggling like an inexperienced newborn that had just been formed.</p><p>Danny feels a hand lift his chin, jolting him out of his thoughts. Raising his gaze on instinct, his eyes meet Phantom’s. They’re glowing as they always do, but there’s something else in them. Something warm. He then notices that Phantom is smiling in that soft way he sometimes does.</p><p>“Star, you can <em> do </em> this,” Phantom says with a confidence that both flatters and confuses Danny. His friend’s unwavering gaze tells him that he is being completely honest right now, and Danny’s core flutters just slightly at that. “You don’t suck at this, you’re <em> learning </em>. That’s different.”</p><p>“How?” </p><p>“Well, they’re not <em> all </em>puddles this time.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Danny deadpans, glaring at the chunks of ice littering the clearing. “Anything else you want to add?”</p><p>“As a matter of fact, yes,” Phantom smiles in that mischievous way that made his eyes light up just a little, leaving Danny breathless. “Did you know that I struggled just as much as you are before I started protecting Amity?” </p><p>“You did?” He almost says that Phantom is lying, but Danny knows he isn’t. And that makes it all the harder to swallow, somehow.</p><p>“Uh-huh,” Phantom nods. “I was so bad, I melted through <em> metal </em> once. Metal!” He laughs, like it’s so easy to just laugh off his mistakes. “Do you know how badly that could have hurt a human? I could have melted their face off with that amount of heat!”</p><p>Danny blinks, utterly confused. “Then… how did you control it?”</p><p>“I told you, Danny,” Phantom grins. “<em> Practice </em> .” He says this with an exaggerated movement of his fingers, though Danny isn’t sure <em> what </em>the gesture is supposed to mean.</p><p>He looks away with a frown. “Phantom... I really don’t think I can do this.” Before Phantom can protest, he adds, “I’m not like you, alright? I was never meant to have this much energy.”</p><p>“Well, <em> I </em> won’t accept that,” Phantom states. “Because I <em> know </em> you can do this.” Then, an odd expression crosses Phantom’s face, and his lips rise into a grin. “You know what? I have an <em> idea!” </em></p><p>“Oh, yeah?” he asks disheartedly. </p><p>He really should have been paying more attention, because he just about jumps when Phantom suddenly appears behind him. He can tell because he can feel a sudden puff of cold that wasn’t there before. He’s about to turn around and question him, but then Phantom’s chest is pressing against his back, and one of his arms is snaking around Danny’s shooting arm, and the other is settling on his hips, and—</p><p>A flush rushes through his entire being. It feels like the areas where Phantom is touching him are <em> burning </em> , which is strange considering Phantom is supposed to be <em> cold </em>. He’s barely concerned, however, as he knows Phantom isn’t the one that’s warm. It’s Danny and his alien feelings again.</p><p>“W-What are you doing?” He stutters nervously. </p><p>“I’m helping you,” Phantom chuckles, and Danny is startled when he <em> feels </em> the rumbling vibrations against his back. Not to mention just how <em> loud </em> his voice sounds right by his ear, making Danny hyper-aware of his every breath. “Now, focus on creating an ectoblast.”</p><p><em> How?! </em> Danny thought almost deliriously. As if he can focus with his core so frazzled. Realizing that Phantom is waiting for him to respond, he stammers out a quiet, “O-Okay.”</p><p>It takes more effort than before, but he manages to pool energy into his hand. Right by his neck, he feels Phantom let out a breath. It sends a shiver down his spine. Swallowing, he asks, “What now?”</p><p>Phantom hums, but it might as well be a <em> tidal wave </em> rushing through Danny’s core <em> . </em> “Now, focus on my hand. How does it feel?”</p><p><em> Burning hot </em>. “Cold?” Danny says, though it sounds more like a question.</p><p>“So, now I need you to focus on that cold, and try to use it to lower the heat of your ectoblast,” Phantom says. Noticing Danny’s dubious expression, he adds, “Just try to concentrate on the heat for now and don’t worry about power.”</p><p>“Alright.” Danny tries to focus on the feeling of Phantom’s hand encompassing his. It’s not as hot, now that he’s thinking about it, and the coldness is really starting to seep in. Now, if he could just transfer that coldness over…</p><p>“Good,” Phantom’s quiet voice brings him back to reality, and Danny realizes with a blink that he’d closed his eyes somewhere along the way. “Now, release it.”</p><p>“<em> Where </em>?” </p><p>“Try the remaining ice, that’s a good testing point.”</p><p>Nodding, Danny aims his hand. And just as he shoots, the force of the energy <em> shoves </em>him, pushing him, and Phantom, back by a few feet. If not for Phantom’s steady hand at his hip, Danny is sure they would have been sent flying. </p><p>“Danny, look,” Phantom says, startling him. He removes his hand from Danny’s to point at the targeted ice. “You did it!”</p><p>Following Phantom’s finger, Danny is surprised to see that the ice <em> wasn’t </em>melted into a puddle like before. The stump had been cracked in various places, and some pieces had flown out of sight, but overall, nothing was melted.</p><p>The realization hits him, and he gasps. “I did it?” A rush of joy fills his core, and Danny is so excited, he can’t stop himself from whirling around to face Phantom, who’s smiling openly at him. “<em> I did it! </em>”</p><p>Phantom’s smile turns fond and he laughs. “I <em> told </em>you!”</p><p><em> Yeah, you did. </em> Danny pauses at that thought. Phantom was <em> right. </em> Phantom said he could do it, and he <em> did </em> . So maybe… <em> maybe…  </em></p><p>“You <em> don’t </em>suck at this, starlight,” Phantom says with a tender softness that positively melts Danny. “You’re doing just fine, I think.”</p><p>“Yeah,” he smiles to himself for the first time since they entered the clearing. “<em>Yeah </em>.” When Danny looks back up, he finds that Phantom is staring at him. “What?”</p><p>Phantom startles at being caught and looks away, his cheeks lighting up. </p><p>“Oh, nothing! It’s just...” Phantom rubs the back of his head. “I was just wondering…”</p><p>Danny tilts his head in confusion. Answering his unvoiced question, Phantom says tentatively, “I just noticed that your ecto-blasts are purple, and you blush purple, too, so does that mean your ectoplasm is purple?”</p><p>Phantom looks somewhat embarrassed, so Danny appeases him by saying, “It is.” Then, teasingly, he grins, “Why? Do you want me to show you my blood or something? I promise, it’s not like my cloak.”</p><p>“That’s not why I asked!” Phantom flails his arms in a frantic pattern, his eyes wide. “It’s just that I’ve never seen purple ectoplasm before. It’s always green.” He avoids Danny's gaze and asks in an almost-whisper. “Is it... because of your powers? Or… or something?”</p><p>And just like that, Danny’s joy sinks into the ground. Visibly sagging at the weight of the question, an anxious knot makes itself known in his gut. Phantom notices, and, almost immediately, a guilty expression colors his face. “Sorry, nevermind. That was weird, you don’t need to answer if you don’t want to,” he tries for a laugh, but Danny can tell how forced it is.</p><p>Feeling guilty <em> and </em>anxious now, he’s not sure what pushes him to answer, but he says anyway, “It’s not… that I don’t want to.”</p><p>Phantom pauses, his brows lowering. “Danny-”</p><p>“It’s that I don’t know <em> how </em> ,” he goes on, ignoring Phantom for the safety of his wavering core. “I <em> want </em>to, I think about it every day, but then…” he pauses, not sure if he should say it. But one look at Phantom’s open worry has Danny making up his mind. “I just don’t know.” He took a deep breath, whispering. “And because of that, I’m… scared.”</p><p>“Of what?” Phantom asks, the concern in his voice like a blast of air to Danny’s face.</p><p>Danny swallows, his throat suddenly feeling tight. “You… leaving.”</p><p>Phantom’s brows pull together, and he frowns. “Danny, you know I would never do that.” A pause, then. “You <em> do </em> know I wouldn't. Right?” </p><p>“Yes. No? I don’t know!” He laughs bitterly. “Just like I don’t know the answer to why I’m purple. All I know is that I can’t find the right words, and that if I say it wrong… you might walk away. And I-” he chokes. “I don’t think I can handle that.”</p><p>“Danny,” Phantom says sadly, then stops. Danny can’t seem to lift his gaze off the ground, so he doesn’t notice that Phantom’s moved until he feels a hand touch his shoulder. This time, the touch doesn't burn, and instead it just tingles pleasantly, like an anchor holding him down. It has him trying to get past the lump in his throat, even more so when he looks up and is greeted with the warm, steady expression on Phantom’s face.</p><p>“I won’t walk away from you, and I never will,” Phantom states boldly, squeezing his shoulder just a tad. “I <em> promise </em>.”</p><p>Danny’s breath hitches. If there’s anything he’s learned about Phantom during their time together, it’s that Phantom takes his promises <em> personally, </em> going above and beyond to fulfill them. It could be something as simple as promising to take a crying toddler on a flight for their birthday, or something no-so-simple, like promising to fix a building he'd trashed during a ghost fight even though he had no idea how to do so. Regardless of whatever he promised, he’d <em> do </em> it, no matter how much time passes between the words and the action. </p><p>For him to be promising Danny this…</p><p>“Okay,” he whispers. “I believe you.”</p><p>Phantom smiles in relief. “That’s good. If you didn’t, I’d have to worry about my credibility as a friend.”</p><p>Danny can’t help but giggle at that. “We can’t have that.”</p><p>“No,” Phantom says, an odd lilt in his voice. “We can’t.”</p><p>He stares at Phantom for a moment, unable to look away from the raw… <em> something… </em> in his eyes that made Danny’s core hum peacefully and chaotically. Then, realizing he’s staring, he pulls his gaze away and says, “We should… keep practicing.”</p><p>Phantom blinks, like he just remembered why they were here in the first place, too. “Oh, right. Yeah.”</p><p>Danny forces himself to turn away from Phantom. </p><p>“Will you tell me, one day?” Phantom asks, his voice quiet and almost inaudible. </p><p>It would be so easy to just say no and shut him down while he still can. Instead, Danny smiles slightly, if only to himself. “Yeah. One day.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter is the big get together, look forward to that ;) </p><p>That said, I WILL continue posting chapters after that, but they'll be ESTABLISHED by then. This story ain't ending so soon. I have a big arc planned, after all &gt;:3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Of Whimsical Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>+1. Phantom comes to a realization, Danny makes a confession, and two dorks connect two-and-two together.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is raw and straight from my weak ass heart, so if there are any dumb mistakes, sorry lol. Still, this has to be my favorite posted chapter yet. So I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.</p><p>Enjoy the shameless fluff uwu</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Phantom could describe his life in one word, it would be <em> whimsical</em>.</p><p>Anyone that knows Phantom well can say this for sure, but any and all decisions that he’s made were all based on a whim, a passing gut feeling. Something fleeting and unsteady that just feels <em> right</em>. He’s a creature of emotion, and anything that feels remotely perfect or stirs just the slightest bit of joy in him is an immediate “okay” on his part.</p><p>When Phantom’s core awakened suddenly? He followed the pull in his chest toward the Far Frozen, and, when all was said and done, ended up making it his home. When he noticed that humans were being attacked by a malevolent ghost in a strange sleepy town? He intervened and saved them, and if that wasn’t enough, he also made the decision to protect said town regularly.</p><p>And when Phantom met a beautiful ghost that needed help despite their status as his enemy by proxy? He didn’t even need common sense to step in and help him. </p><p>And by him, he means Danny, of course. Danny, who put his faith in Phantom so willingly. Danny, who lit his core with sparks of warmth and joy. Danny, who wormed his way into Phantom’s life and made himself a permanent fixture in it.</p><p>Danny, who is slowly becoming so much more than just Phantom’s precious friend. </p><p>Such a huge thing in his life, and yet that was whimsical, too. He hadn’t saved Danny for some grand plan, he’d just done it because it <em> felt right</em>. And, oh, how it feels right. To wake up to the sound of Danny’s quiet giggles, to watch as his galaxies swirl with his emotions and create brand new stars when he’s feeling especially giddy, to sit on their couch in their shared lair and watch cheesy movies just for the sake of hearing Danny laugh at the silly parts… </p><p>All of it feels right. All of it defines Phantom’s days in a terrifying and amazing way. He doesn’t even think he can go back to his life before Danny. Everything that he used to do alone became something Danny did with him, too.</p><p>For example, ghost fights. While Danny is mostly adverse to violence, Phantom’s seen instances where ghosts were stupid enough to push Danny too far. One of his favorite fights was actually when one of Technus’s tentacles hit a building and the resulting debris almost crushed a whole family.</p><p>Phantom was pissed and ready to kick Technus’s ass for that, but was pleasantly surprised when Danny beat him to it. He took that as a sign that Technus was in good hands, and left to help the family escape safely.</p><p>When he came back, Technus was gone, and Danny was smiling sheepishly when he said, “I, uh, might have gone a <em> little </em>overboard?”</p><p>To this day, the memory never fails to raise a flush to his cheeks. To think Danny had that kind of power in him… was he holding out on Phantom? He knew that Danny hated fighting unnecessarily, but just the fact that he was able to scare Technus away for three months meant that he only lacked drive, not strength. </p><p>What <em> did </em> Danny do that scared him away? No matter how badly Phantom beats his enemies, they never stay away for <em> that </em>long. Danny had done something extreme enough to keep even the most obnoxious ghost ever away. Does it have to do with Danny’s secret? Were there powers Danny just didn’t want to show Phantom?</p><p>Just as his thoughts are about to wander again, a voice cuts through the noise.</p><p>“Phantom?”</p><p>Phantom startles, blinking back to reality. He’s staring at the wide expanse of an orange sky, telling him that it’s sunset. Then, remembering Danny was talking to him, he answers, “Yeah?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Danny says strangely. “I just thought you were asleep.”</p><p>“Nah,” he hums. Closing his eyes, he soaks in the peaceful atmosphere, spreading out like a star. “But at this rate, I might.”</p><p>“Don’t humans say that you can get sick if you sleep outside?” Danny muses.</p><p>“I’m a <em> ghost</em>, their measly illnesses can’t get to me,” he opens his eyes just to shoot Danny a cocky grin.</p><p>“Oh, really?” Danny raises a brow at him. “Then who was it that called a simple Ecto-cold a human flu?”</p><p>“Not me, that’s for sure,” Phantom huffs, looking away. </p><p>“Uh-huh,” he says disbelievingly. “No, definitely not you. I’m just imagining things.”</p><p>“Silly Star,” he tuts. “You need to stop living in that dream world of yours.”</p><p>Danny goes silent for a moment. Then, he answers, an odd lilt to his voice, “What about you, Mr. Superhero?”</p><p>“Hey!” Phantom sits up, turning to face Danny. “Don’t mock my <em> very serious </em>job. You do it, too, you know!”</p><p>“My apologies,” Danny stifles a laugh. “I didn’t mean to hurt your sensitive feelings. Do you need a cape to wipe your tears?”</p><p><em> Rude </em> , Phantom grumps, moving to lie down again. Still, that’s not a half-bad idea… Maybe he can get Frostbite to add that to his suit the next time he visits the Far Frozen. He can bring Danny with him, too! Frostbite will <em> love </em>him, he knows it. Maybe he can convince Frostbite to make Danny a suit, too, considering he’s just fighting in whatever outfit he happens to be wearing that day. </p><p>But then again, those outfits happen to make Danny really happy, so maybe not… </p><p>It would make a nice dream at least, he smiles to himself. Him and Danny, beating baddies left and right as a crime-fighting duo, like something straight out of a comic book. Their suits would match, and they’d have capes to wrap around each other when it gets too cold-</p><p>His thoughts come to a screeching halt, and a brilliant green colors his cheeks. </p><p>“Phantom?” Danny asks worriedly. “Are you o-”</p><p>“I’m fine!” Phantom yelps. “Perfectly fine!”</p><p>“O-<em>kay </em>.” Danny is probably squinting at him right now, as he always does when Phantom does something weird. Crap, did he notice his blush? Phantom can’t really explain that one away-</p><p>“You were totally imagining yourself in a cape, weren’t you?” Danny finally says.</p><p>Phantom tries really hard to hold in his sigh of relief. “You caught me. That’s exactly what I was thinking.”</p><p>“I knew it!” Danny giggles. “You’re such a dork, honestly.”</p><p><em> You have no idea </em>, he thinks to himself. “Is that a bad thing?”</p><p>Phantom isn’t looking at Danny, but he can hear the softness in his voice when he says, “No, it’s not.”</p><p>“Good,” he says, for lack of a better response.</p><p>They fall into silence. Phantom takes the chance to slow down the quick and irregular thrums of his core. <em> Deep breaths, Phantom</em>.</p><p>Danny’s voice suddenly sounds. “You can take a nap, you know? I’ll watch over you.”</p><p>“R-Really?” Well, there goes all his hard work to calm down his core. “Wouldn’t that be a little lonely? Just watching me sleep, I mean.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Danny hums. Then, probably not intending Phantom to hear this, he adds quietly, “I’m used to it anyway.”</p><p>“What?” He blurts out stupidly.</p><p>A light click, and then, “Nothing.”</p><p>Phantom sits up, not giving Danny the chance to shy away as he turns his gaze directly onto him. “What do you mean by that?”</p><p>Danny quiets. “I told you, it’s no-”</p><p>“It’s <em> not </em> nothing,” he frowns. What’s with Danny? Phantom knows what he heard. He <em> knows </em> that sad tone of voice. It isn’t <em> nothing</em>.</p><p>Danny doesn't answer, and instead averts his eyes from Phantom. </p><p>Phantom resists the urge to groan. Danny’s upset over something, and Phantom being annoyed won’t help whatever inner turmoil inside of his friend. He goes through their interaction, thinking of anything and everything. Then, he pauses.</p><p>Back then, Danny had asked him if he was asleep with a strange tone Phantom couldn’t recognize, but now that he’s thinking about it, he’s realizing how <em> sad </em> it actually was. And the way Danny kept watching him, even when he was deep in his thoughts… </p><p>It’s… It’s just a theory, but based on past experiences, like those many times Danny never went to bed at the same time as him, always up reading his astronomy books… Or those times Danny declined his offer to take a nap before patrol, or those times Danny always, without fail, asked what his dreams were about in the morning… </p><p>“Danny,” he says slowly, tentatively, trying not to sound too pushy. “You… can’t sleep, can you?”</p><p>“What?” Danny startles, eyes going wide. “W-What are you talking about?” He laughs stiffly. </p><p>“You know what I’m talking about,” Phantom says gently. “Don’t you?”</p><p>Danny freezes. Then, he slumps, like a weight has fallen on his shoulders. Speaking quietly, he sighs, “Yeah, I do.”</p><p>“Then…” Phantom trails off. “You… You really can’t sleep?”</p><p>Danny laughs bitterly. “No, I can’t. I told you before, Phantom. I’m not like you.”</p><p>A lump forms in his throat. Trying to sound normal, he asks, “Is it because of your powers?”</p><p>“No,” Danny shakes his head. “It’s not the powers.”</p><p>“Then… what?” Phantom frowns in confusion.</p><p>Danny gives him a vulnerable look. “It’s <em> me</em>. <em> All </em>of me.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” And yet, Phantom is already piecing it together. This revelation, combined with Danny's strange ectoplasm, leads him down a rabbit hole that inevitably raises an old memory.</p><p>
  <em> “You know what happens when I’m gone, don’t you?” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I… disappear.”  </em>
</p><p>Phantom had brushed it off back then since Danny clearly hadn’t disappeared, but now that it’s come up again, he has a feeling he knows just why Danny didn’t leave Nocturne’s side. </p><p>Still, he needs to hear it from Danny. Steeling himself, he exhales and looks right into Danny’s eyes. “You said you would tell me your secret one day,” he says quietly. Reaching out a tentative hand, he covers Danny’s shaking fist gently. “I don’t want you to feel forced to tell me right now, but I <em> will </em>say this: I promised you that I wouldn’t leave, no matter what your secret is. And that hasn’t changed. Not one bit.”</p><p>Danny swallows, his lips trembling. For a moment, his blue eyes just study Phantom’s face, like they’re checking for any trace of a lie. He can see the moment his honesty dawns on Danny when his eyes cloud over slightly.</p><p>“I…” Danny starts shakily. Looking down at their joint hands, he utters, “I’m… not a ghost. Not a real one, anyway.”</p><p>Phantom blinks. He has half a mind to interrupt Danny and ask him for clarification, but Danny seems to read his mind.  “It sounds crazy, right? How can I not be a ghost when I look and act like one? But the truth is…” Danny trails off. He clenches his fist. “The truth is, I was born too weak to survive. I was going to die unformed.”</p><p>It feels like a vice has wrapped around Phantom’s throat. “What?” He whispers.</p><p>Danny peaks at him through his bangs. “Nocturne found me in time. He said he saw potential in me. He charged my core, gave me the power I needed, but that sort of energy… it wasn’t natural. It was the same energy he used to…” Danny pauses, then tentatively, “… to make Dream Walkers.”</p><p>The revelation trickles in slowly. Like acid rain tearing at a bronze statue. “That means…”</p><p>“Yeah,” Danny laughs, though it sounds more like a choked sob. “I’m just a glorified Dream Walker.”</p><p>“But… But you’re nothing like them,” Phantom fumbles. </p><p>“Am I really?” Danny asks bitterly. “Because by the end of the day, I can’t sleep, nor can I dream. And all my powers? These are all Nocturne’s. Nothing about me is <em> mine</em>.”</p><p>Phantom has no idea what to say to that, so he sits in stunned silence. The weight on his chest grows heavier, and the cold seeps into his hands. Danny shivers at that.</p><p>Hearing his silence, Danny smiles sadly, a fragile thing that trembled, seconds away from breaking. “I knew it.”</p><p>“What?” His head snaps up. </p><p>“I knew you’d hate it.” The smile falls, and Danny’s eyes stray down again. Then, like an afterthought, he pulls his hand away as well. “I-I understand if you want me to leave. I can pa-”</p><p>“No!” He cries suddenly. “No, no, <em> no!</em>”</p><p>Danny startles, looking heartbreakingly shocked.</p><p>“Don’t you <em> ever </em> say that again,” Phantom states firmly. </p><p>“But-”</p><p>“I was quiet because I’m an idiot and I don’t know what to say!” He barrels through, not stopping to let Danny misunderstand his words. “I don’t <em> want </em>you to leave. Danny, I can’t even imagine my life without you anymore. If you leave…” he swallows, feeling all his emotions catching up to him as they clog his throat. “I don’t know if I can handle that.”</p><p>Danny’s eyes widen. His lips part, and that’s when the tears gather in his eyes. “What are you saying?” He chokes out.</p><p>Feeling heavier than ever under the weight of so much vulnerability being entrusted with him, Phantom just reaches out to hold Danny’s hand again, this time with both his hands. He tightens his grip this time. “Just like how you don’t want me to leave, I don’t want you to leave either. I <em> need </em>you, starlight.”</p><p>Danny gasps. Then it happens again, but this time it sounds more like a sob. “<em>Phantom</em>.”</p><p>Swallowing nervously, he leans closer, until his face is inches away from Danny’s. Danny’s breath hitches, and just when he’s about to say something, Phantom closes the distance and rests his brow against Danny’s.</p><p>Looking into Danny’s bright, beautiful eyes, Phantom repeats, “I’ll always need you. So… don’t cry, okay?”</p><p>And yet, Danny still cries. Phantom notes with a strange feeling in his gut that his tears are shining too. “Okay,” Danny laughs over a sob. Then, with a true, genuine smile, no matter how small, he says, “I’ll always need you, too.”</p><p>“Okay,” Phantom laughs, feeling light and warm and <em> happy </em>.</p><p>And though it’s never said, both of them know what their words mean. They don’t need fireworks, or a grand, desperate kiss. They just gaze at each other, foreheads touching, and they smile.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>STARTING NEXT CHAPTER, WE ENTER ESTABLISHED TERRITORY!!!! I hope you stick around for that, because I'm REALLY excited about these upcoming chapters! Thanks for any support you've given me up until now, but I fear I have become spoiled so... please stay? owo;</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Of Newfound Bonds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Danny makes a friend because it's what he deserves damn it!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP LET'S GOOOOOO</p><p>Tell me what you think about their relationship in the comments! I was 50/50 about my depiction of them but after my beta beat some sense into me I have come to see the beauty of how they are now. So, tell me your thoughts! :3</p><p>ENJOY!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There’s a lot Danny doesn’t know about the Ghost Zone. </p><p>He grew up under Nocturne’s orders, and was taught only what would benefit Nocturne, not himself. That included skills like putting others to sleep, entering dreamscapes, and altering dreams. Things like intangibility and invisibility, however, were deemed too basic for Nocturne to help him with.</p><p>So, Danny taught himself. He practiced how to remain invisible for hours on end so he could visit the human realm, and learned how to turn intangible so that he could get a closer look at human activities. Ecto-blasts, however, weren’t a skill that Danny needed. More accurately, he didn’t even <em> have </em>it.</p><p>Nocturne didn’t give Danny that power. It would have been useless for Nocturne’s purposes, and, by proxy, Danny’s purpose, too. </p><p>And that’s exactly the kind of logic that held him back from learning about the Ghost Zone itself. Nocturne didn’t need Danny to know about lairs because he didn’t have one. He didn’t need Danny to know about core bonding because he would never allow Danny to have a Bond.</p><p>He always wondered about these things, but never fed his curiosity.</p><p>He was never<em> allowed </em> to.</p><p>Not until he met Phantom, that is.</p><p>His time spent with Phantom taught Danny a lot of things. One of the biggest being that Danny was worth <em> something </em>. Something more than a Dream Walker, and something more than Nocturne’s influence. It had taken a while for the notion to really set in, but when it did… </p><p>It was the best feeling in his entire life. </p><p>And it was all thanks to Phantom.</p><p>Phantom, his savior, his friend, and, just recently, his <em> Bond </em>. </p><p>Although, Danny’s also grown rather fond of the human equivalent: <em> boyfriend</em>.</p><p>Danny is still learning a lot of things, but with Phantom’s help, he’s slowly getting to a point where shame no longer bubbles inside his core at just the thought of his ignorance. Now, he can actually feed his curiosity. And feed it, he has.</p><p>That being said, it’s clear there are still some things that he has yet to learn. At least, that’s what Danny <em> thinks </em> as he stares in complete bafflement at the sight before him.</p><p>The “sight” being Phantom casually chatting with the ghost he’d been fighting just last week, laughing openly at something she was saying.</p><p>“—and then Skulker just goes <em> batshit crazy </em> and starts screaming despite being just a little bean!” The ghost cackles, leaning against her purple guitar for support. “He was all, <em> ‘I’m the best hunter the Ghost Zone’s ever seen!’ </em> while we were all just <em> dying</em>.”</p><p>At Ember’s mocking tone, Phantom burst into laughter, keeling over to clutch his stomach. It’s a reverberating thing, loud and deep and <em> strong </em> as it reaches Danny’s ears, but he can also hear the echo in it, and somehow, that little touch makes it just a tad childish. It’s a delightful, <em> beautiful </em>sound, and despite how confused Danny was, he can always appreciate Phantom’s genuine laughter.</p><p>The two ghosts continued on, oblivious to Danny’s growing confusion. Working up the nerve to interrupt, Danny asks in a small, hesitant voice, “Phantom?”</p><p>Phantom turns to him, his laughter now reduced to a few stray chuckles. “What is it, starlight?”</p><p>Danny flushes. Phantom’s wide toothy smile and green dusted cheeks were positively <em> adorable. </em>Almost dazedly, he utters, “What exactly is going on?”</p><p>“What do you mean?” Phantom asks with a tilt of his head. </p><p>The ghost looks between them for a second before understanding dawns on her face. “Oh, <em> duh </em>!” she facepalms. Then, directed at Phantom, she says, “You didn’t explain friendships to him, did you?”</p><p>Phantom pauses, and then he gasps. <em> “Right!” </em> He slams a fist into his hand. “I totally forgot!”</p><p>The ghost looks at Phantom incredulously. “That’s, like, ghost 101! How did you <em> forget </em>?”</p><p>“Excuse me,” Danny interrupts. “But can someone please <em> explain </em>to me?”</p><p>“Uh, my bad, Danny,” Phantom rubs the back of his neck. “Um, basically, you know how I’m friends with Dora?”</p><p>He isn’t sure what that has to do with the ghost that clearly <em> isn’t </em>Dora, but he nods anyway.</p><p>“Well, sometimes our friendships can be like… what do humans call it?” Phantom trails off, rubbing his chin in thought. Then, his eyes brighten. “Right! Frenemies, that’s the word!”</p><p>
  <em> “What?” </em>
</p><p>“You suck at this, Dipstick,” the ghost comments unhelpfully. She doesn’t intervene, though, and just watches them amusedly while plucking at the strings of her guitar. </p><p>Phantom shoots her a pointed look, and the ghost raises her arms in a motion of surrender. Finally, something Danny <em> recognizes </em>. </p><p>“Why don’t <em> you </em> try, then?” Phantom huffs, crossing his arms. </p><p>“But it’s so fun to watch you fail in front of Aster,” She grins. Then, after a second of consideration, she shrugs. “But, sure, I’ll give it a try.”</p><p>The ghost stands straighter, but her arm remains leaning on the floating guitar. “Well, in the Ghost Zone, there are three categories a friendship can fall into. One is just friends, which doesn’t need an explanation.”</p><p>Danny nods, and she continues. “There’s also friends like Dipstick and I, where we can be friends one moment, and enemies the next, but by the end of the day, we’re on mostly friendly terms.”</p><p>Danny turns to look at his boyfriend for confirmation, but Phantom’s only watching the ghost (his friend?) with an odd fixation, his eyebrows low and his lips pulled down slightly. It’s not anything he’s familiar with, so it puzzles Danny for a moment. </p><p>The ghost starts talking again, pulling Danny’s gaze back to her. “And last but not least, there’s rivals,” she says with a new eagerness. “And one such example is Dipstick and Skulker.”</p><p>Danny’s seen plenty of their fights, so he’s pretty sure he knows what she means. Then, he pauses as her original words return to him. “Wait, how is that a friendship?”</p><p>The ghost looks thoroughly amused when she answers, “It’s not.”</p><p>“Then why is it a category?” He asks, feeling annoyed at how vague <em> both of them </em> were being.</p><p>The ghost glances at Phantom slyly, who lights up immediately. <em> What the heck?  </em></p><p>Before Danny could ask, Phantom is already turning to him, a new eagerness in his eyes as he says, “It’s not a <em> friendship </em>, but it means that Skulker and I both acknowledge and respect each other’s power.” Then, as an afterthought, he adds, “Although, I’m pretty sure Skulker respects me more than I respect him.”</p><p><em> I can tell</em>, Danny thinks. Still, he can’t help but smile; no matter how much Phantom taunted Skulker, he really did see him as a proper opponent. How so very Phantom of him, to be so… <em> juvenile </em> about it. Playful, almost.</p><p>“Oh, that explains it!” Danny snaps his finger, a habit he’d picked up from Phantom. “So, you and this ghost are friends, and when you fight it’s just an expression of tough love?”</p><p>Phantom’s expression twists curiously, and the other ghost bursts into laughter. </p><p>“Oh, <em> Ancients!</em>” The ghost throws her head back as she laughs. She wipes away a tear as she giggles, “You really are precious, Aster.”</p><p>“I’m sorry?” He frowns at the ghost’s continuous laughter. “Did I misunderstand?”</p><p>Phantom cuts in immediately. “No! I mean, kind of, but also-”</p><p>“No, you hit it right on the head, Babybop,” the ghost interrupts. “Oh, and, my name is Ember. In case you needed to know,” her smile is teasing, and Danny flushes as he remembers how he referred to her earlier.</p><p>“R-Right,” he says. “And you… already know my name, I guess.”</p><p>“The whole Zone does, at this point,” she grins. “After all, it’s not everyday that our Phantom gets himself a <em> boyfriend.” </em></p><p>Phantom lets out a strangled noise at that, and Danny is no better as his cheeks turn a light purple. </p><p>“Speaking <em> of</em>,” Ember’s eyes seem to glow as she puts a hand to her mouth and mock-whispers, “Is it true that you two <em> sealed the deal </em>?”</p><p>Phantom’s noise turns into a full-on choke. Coughing abruptly, he squeaks, “<em>What </em>? How do you know that?” Then, he freezes, his face turning neon green. </p><p>Danny, realizing that his boyfriend just answered her question, lets out an embarrassed groan, hiding his face in his hands as his cheeks <em> burn</em>.</p><p>Ember cackles shamelessly at their reactions. “Oh, this is <em> great! </em> Not only did you let him into your lair, but you also <em> bonded your core </em> to him! Ancients, you are <em> whipped, </em>Dipstick.”</p><p>Danny has no idea what that means, nor what Phantom’s lair has anything to do with this, but he <em> does </em> recognize that Ember now knows they’ve bonded. It’s not like Danny regrets it, nor is he embarrassed of being bonded to Phantom; in fact, the memory of that day still overwhelms him with joy every time he thinks about it. But core bonding is very intimate, and having the <em> entire Ghost Zone </em> knowing about it is not ideal at all.</p><p>And if he wasn’t already confused, Phantom only adds to that when he mimics Danny’s previous action and groans into his hands. “I <em> know</em>.”</p><p>“Whipped?” He mutters. “What’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>“A-Absolutely nothing!” Phantom yelps, waving his hands wildly. “Ember is just being mean.”</p><p>“<em>Sure</em>,” Ember rolls her eyes. </p><p>Ember and Phantom fall into banter again. Now that Danny knows the nature of their relationship, he feels no need to interrupt them, so he just watches. A slow smile crosses Danny’s face as Phantom’s colorful expressions and wild gesturing make his core thrum pleasantly.</p><p>Danny might not know much about Ember, but if she can bring out this happy, energetic energy from Phantom, then she must be a good friend. The thought puts an unwilling damper on his smile.</p><p>Danny’s only ever had one friend, and that’s Phantom. Meanwhile, Phantom has many friends—even some that he’s completely unaware of. Danny hates to sound whiny, but sometimes he can’t help but wish he had a supportive community, too. A group of ghosts—or humans, even—that cared enough to look after him when he needed it.</p><p>It’s not like he had the time, nor the permission, to make friends back then, but still… </p><p>“Yo, Aster!” Ember’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts.</p><p>“Y-Yes?” He asks, startled that she was talking to him again.</p><p>“I was just telling Phantom how cheesy his suit is,” she says, as though that has anything to do with <em> why </em>she chose to talk to Danny. “You agree, don’t you?”</p><p>“I-I mean... kind of?” Danny stumbles over his words. “But it’s also really cute-”</p><p>Phantom makes a curious noise, and Ember laughs. “See? Even Babybop agrees!”</p><p><em> “Cute?” </em> Phantom repeats to himself strangely. Then, remembering what Ember said, his lips morph into a frown. “Hey! What’s wrong with cheesy?”</p><p>“You look like you came right out of a comic book, that’s what!” Ember jokes. “All you need is a cape, and you’re all set!”</p><p>“But capes are <em> cool!</em>” Phantom argues. “What do you have against capes?”</p><p>“The Zone already thinks you’re some kind of angry kitten, adding a cape will just make you <em> cuter </em> , not <em> fiercer </em>.” Ember pokes Phantom’s cheek as she says this. </p><p>For a second, Danny can’t help but imagine that, and the image of a glowing, cape-wearing kitten Phantom fills his mind. Almost immediately, a helpless giggle escapes him.</p><p>Phantom turns to him with wide eyes. “You imagined it, didn’t you?”</p><p>“I-I’m sorry,” his shoulders shake with the force of his laughter. “B-But… <em> an angry kitten </em>-”</p><p>“Betrayed by my own boyfriend!” Phantom gasps, clutching his chest dramatically. “How <em> could </em>you?”</p><p>Danny just laughs even more at that. Similarly, Phantom’s mock-hurt expression melts, and his lips twitch into a smile as he chuckles with Danny. </p><p>“I guess it <em> would </em>look a little silly,” Phantom relents. “Did you at least imagine me as a cool kitten?”</p><p>“Of course,” Danny nods seriously. </p><p>“<em>Fine </em>… I guess I can accept being a kitten if it means having a cape.”</p><p>“Hey!” Ember whines. “How come you only say that when <em> Aster </em>says it? I said that, too, you know!” Something seems to dawn on her as her lips twitch into a wicked grin. Turning to Danny, she says, “Aster, I need you to join forces with me.”</p><p>“Why?” He asks, but he catches on quickly as he smiles as well.</p><p>“To embarrass Phantom, of course!” She smirks. She holds out a hand. “I’ll be counting on you, Private Babybop.”</p><p>He can’t help but giggle at that. Returning the shake, he agrees, “Right back at you, Commander Popstar.”</p><p>“Did you guys seriously just bond over making fun of me?” Phantom asks with a sigh. “And right in front of me, too?”</p><p>“That’s the only way one can bond with <em> anyone </em> , Dipstick,” Ember grins. “How else did you and I bond? Over <em> sewing</em>?”</p><p>“You’re right,” Phantom nods after a moment of consideration. “Mocking Skulker is a very powerful thing.”</p><p>“Now you’re getting it!” She laughs.</p><p>The conversation flows naturally, and soon enough, they’re talking and laughing and losing track of time. That day, Danny <em> does </em> learn something new, something that weighs like a feather in his mind: the joyous realization that he’d made a new friend.</p><p>And fittingly enough, <em>that </em>is thanks to Phantom, too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Enjoy the peace while it lasts &gt;:3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Of Rising Currents</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Part 0: prologue.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>AAAAAAHHHH I'M SO EXCITED! I FINALLY GET TO INTRODUCE MY LONG-PLANNED ARC! It's gonna be a long one folks, so strap in for a fun ride :D! This chapter is shorter than the usual, but it's just the intro to the arc so uh, I hope you'll forgive me for that? owo;</p><p>That being said, Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Phantom prides in teaching Danny his human knowledge. Danny can see it in Phantom’s telltale signs, in the way he puffs out his chest and his smile lifts into something like a boyish grin. In the way he watches Danny avidly as understanding dawns on him. And his favorite sign—the way Phantom blushes as Danny kisses his cheek in thanks, which leads to him looking away shyly and stuttering, “I-It’s really nothing.”</p><p>Danny, in return, prides in knowing this without needing Phantom to brag about it. Among that knowledge are humans’ limitless sayings. He doesn’t use them a lot, but he thinks of them sometimes. </p><p>In fact, there was on his mind today. </p><p>His trail of thoughts is interrupted by the creaking of the door. Glancing up from a particularly fascinating book on human astronomy, he can feel a spark in his chest when his eyes fall on the source.</p><p>“I’m home!” </p><p>“Phantom!” Danny greets happily. “Welcome back!”</p><p>Phantom smiles, his eyes dancing as he jokes, “I hope you didn’t miss me <em> too </em>much, starlight.”</p><p>“I always miss you when you’re gone,” Danny admits with a shy smile, to which Phantom flushes an adorable shade of green. Holding back a giggle at the sight, Danny asks, “How was patrol?”</p><p>At that, Phantom groans, “Terrible.” </p><p>He floats toward Danny, but he already knows what Phantom will do. As soon as Danny moves the book from his lap, another weight drops in place of it. Shifting to lie on his side, Phantom wraps his arms around Danny’s waist. “These four ghosts thought it would be a good idea to rob a jewelry store this late at night, only to run away as soon as I appear. And get this! The police blamed <em> me </em> because all the jewelry fell on me!”</p><p>Instinctively, he raises a hand to Phantom’s fluffy white hair, running his fingers through the soft strands. “Did you explain the situation at least?” Danny asks, looking down at Phantom.</p><p>“It was more like shoot now and ask questions later, so I just booked it outta there,” Phantom answers. He buries his face in Danny’s stomach, right into the void of his cloak. Sometimes Danny wonders if said cloak feels weird to Phantom. He’s never asked him, mostly because he doesn’t want Phantom to misunderstand and stop doing it.</p><p>“Phantom,” Danny frowns. When Phantom doesn’t respond, he resorts to pulling his hair gently. “You could have <em> talked </em> to them.”</p><p>“They won’t <em> listen</em>,” Phantom grumbles, finally looking up at Danny. Now that Danny can see his boyfriend’s face, he can see that the grumble was actually a pout. “All the police blab about is how I’m an evil menace!”</p><p>“They’ll come around soon enough,” Danny comforts, rubbing Phantom’s shoulder. “How can they not? You’re Amity’s <em> hero.</em>”</p><p>“You put too much faith in them,” Phantom scowls. “I told you-”</p><p>“Not <em> them</em>,” he shakes his head. At Phantom’s cute confused frown, he clarifies, “I mean you, Phantom. I have faith in <em> you</em>.”</p><p>Predictably, Phantom flushes. “W-What does that have to do with this?”</p><p>“Them trusting you relies on you being the amazing hero that you are, <em> silly</em>,” Danny pinches Phantom’s cheeks just to emphasize that. “They might not see it now, but they will eventually.”</p><p>“Danny,” Phantom says, but there’s a strange weight to it. A weight Danny can’t name.</p><p>Feeling himself blush, Danny adds, if only to move on from Phantom’s cheesy words, “After all, who can resist your charm?”</p><p>“I-I guess,” Phantom stutters. His green eyes are shining when they meet Danny’s, and they stay there for a moment. Then he asks tentatively, “Do you… really think so?”</p><p>Danny’s core buzzes upon seeing the uncertainty on Phantom’s face. Before meeting Phantom, humans had fascinated him; that hasn’t changed much, but now that fascination is no longer as powerful. How could it be, when arrogant humans kept shunning his sweet, brave Phantom, who was nothing but kind to them? On a good day, it simply hurts Danny; on a bad one, it does nothing but anger him.</p><p>Danny lowers his hand to caress Phantom’s face, and his expression softens as his boyfriend nuzzles into the contact. “I do,” he confirms with a small smile. “I always have.”</p><p>“O-Oh,” Phantom utters. </p><p>Danny’s self-control finally breaks as he lets out a giggle. </p><p>Phantom pouts at that. “How do you go from encouraging me to laughing at me so easily?”</p><p>“You’re just so <em> cute</em>,” Danny teases. Then, just because he knows it will fluster Phantom, he adds, “<em>Snowpearl</em>.”</p><p>“Is that how you’re gonna play it, <em> starlight </em>?” Phantom retorts pointedly. </p><p>“It keeps you on your toes,” he smiles. “Well, metaphorically.”</p><p>“You can always push me off,” Phantom raises a challenging brow at Danny. “But I can’t promise I won’t fight back for my treasure.”</p><p><em> My treasure</em>. </p><p>This time, it’s Danny that flushes. </p><p>“Now we’re even,” Phantom grins impishly. Before Danny can say anything else, he’s already returning to his spot on Danny’s stomach. “Now, leave me to my superhero nap.”</p><p>“Of course,” Danny shakes his head, snickering. </p><p>Phantom ends up falling asleep, which Danny spends a few minutes watching fondly. Then, he moves to lie down, pulling his sleeping boyfriend up so that he’s lying in Danny’s arms comfortably. Danny presses a kiss to the crown of Phantom’s head and leaves him to his well-deserved sleep. </p><p>It’s only in the silence that he remembers what he was thinking of earlier. What was that human saying again? </p><p>Oh, right.</p><p><em> The calm before the storm</em>.</p><hr/><p>The jewelry store was just the beginning. Over the course of the week, multiple robberies were reported. Every time, in a different location. And every time, the same perpetrators. </p><p>Phantom does his best to stop all of them, but they eventually get to be too much, and he succumbs to asking Danny for help during patrol. Asking for help isn’t shameful, but asking for help from <em> Danny</em>, his Bond and the person he vowed to protect, was not something to be proud of, either. If he can deal with it on his own, he does. No reason to put Danny in danger if Phantom can handle it.</p><p>Still, Phantom can recognize when he needs to suck it up.</p><p>Danny, of course, agrees eagerly. It warms his core that his Star was so willing to help. Besides, it’s just a bunch of serial robbers, it’s not like they’re a <em> real </em>danger.</p><p>And yet… why does Phantom still feel wary?</p><p>“They’re not here, either,” Danny’s voice cuts through his thoughts. “I could have sworn their signatures led here…”</p><p>Phantom sighs. “They probably used that spikey ghost’s creepy crawlers to scramble their trace. Which means they got away. <em> Again </em> .” He clenches a frustrated fist. Why is it so hard to catch a bunch of petty thieves? Phantom can take down a <em> dragon, </em> but not some robbers?</p><p>Not only was he failing repeatedly, but he was also failing in front of <em> Danny! </em></p><p>“Phantom!” </p><p>He yelps as his ear is pulled roughly. “Ow, ow, ow!” He whirls around to face Danny, his eyes wide as he cups a hand over his ear. “Danny, what-?”</p><p>“<em>Stop that!</em>” Danny orders sternly, taking back his hand. “Stop beating yourself up like that!”</p><p>“H-How did you-”</p><p>“Phantom, we’re <em> bonded</em>,” Danny rolls his eyes. “And you’re also pretty obvious.”</p><p>“I am?” Phantom utters. “Wait, that’s not the point!”</p><p>“No, it’s <em> not</em>,” he agrees, giving Phantom a <em> look. </em> “And feeling guilty about robberies you can’t control also isn’t.”</p><p>“It’s been a <em> week, </em> Danny,” Phantom exhales, slouching. “I thought… I should have stopped them by now.”</p><p>“You’re not giving up, are you?” Danny raises a brow at him.</p><p>“<em>No!</em>” he denies immediately. “You know I wouldn’t!”</p><p>“Then stop <em> doing </em> that.”</p><p>There’s another denial at the tip of Phantom’s tongue when something stops him. A gentle nudge to his fist, slowly pulling it away from Phantom’s side and toward Danny’s chest. Then Danny holds it there between his twinkling, swirling hands, right above where his core would be.</p><p>With a soft smile and even softer eyes, Danny says, “We can <em> do </em>this, Phantom.”</p><p>Phantom swallows, a lump lying heavily in his throat. “W-What if-”</p><p>“We <em> can</em>, and we <em> will</em>,” Danny replies firmly. Keeping their eyes locked, he asks, “Don’t you trust me?”</p><p>“Always,” he breathes. </p><p>“Then that’s all the answer you need.”</p><p>How does Danny <em> do </em> that? How does he believe in Phantom so easily, so <em> effortlessly?</em> He’s always quick to reassure Phantom, no matter what, and it never fails to leave him breathless every single time. Especially when he’s faced with those honest, kind eyes, glowing like a lantern in a sea of darkness. Clearing a path for Phantom to walk confidently. </p><p>Taking a deep breath, Phantom closes his eyes. <em> Danny believes in me, </em> he thinks. <em> That’s all I need. </em></p><p>When he opens his eyes again, Danny is still smiling at him, but now his smile is wider. His eyes are shining as they remain fixed on his face. He hadn’t even dropped Phantom’s hand, and had instead chosen to just lower it so that he’s holding it more casually, yet just as tightly as before. Phantom flushes at that, green dusting his cheeks. </p><p>He clears his throat. “You’re right.”</p><p>“Am I?” Danny hums.</p><p>“You know, you can stop making fun of me now,” Phantom huffs. And don’t try to tell him that Danny isn’t! He <em> knows </em> that mischievous expression; the one where Danny’s smile revealed his fangs, his eyes twinkled in delight, and his freckles glowed. It just screams, <em> I’m making fun of you in my head. </em></p><p>Deciding to appease his boyfriend, he concedes, “Yes, you’re right. Happy now?”</p><p>“Very,” Danny laughs. </p><p>And just like that, all Phantom’s doubts from before vanish. “Let’s catch us some thieves!” </p><p>“After you,” Danny tugs at their joint hands. </p><p>He leads the way… and into the storm they fly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kudos to anyone that can guess what the arc is (even if it IS kind of obvious) :3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Of Brewing Storms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Part 1. </p><p>Tread carefully, little lamb...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I am practically vibrating with excitement! So it begins!!! &gt;w&lt;</p><p>Enjoy uwu</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How did they get away from us in <em> broad daylight?</em>” Phantom asks, throwing his arms into the sky in disbelief. He huffs, surveying the streets below them for any sign of their robbers.</p><p>“Their signatures stop here. There isn’t even a scrambled trace left this time,” Danny says, focusing his eyes on the smoky trail left behind by the other ghosts. It really is strange, the way their ectoplasmic signatures stopped right in front of a giant billboard on top the building they were standing on. “Maybe they teleported?”</p><p>“Maybe,” Phantom answers, crossing his arms and taking a step backward to look up at the odd, red-and-black advertisement on the billboard. He hums absently, and as if answering Danny’s silent curiosity, he asks, “What were they even doing back there? They didn’t steal anything. They just… stood there until we appeared.”</p><p>“Yeah, almost like they were waiting for us,” Danny realizes, his eyes widening as he turns to his boyfriend. </p><p>“In that case, why did they disappear?” Phantom grumbles. “If they wanted us to follow them...”</p><p>Danny doesn’t hear the rest of Phantom’s sentence as a loud cheer suddenly sounds near them. Jumping in surprise, he turns to the direction of the cheer, only to come face-to-face with the billboard again. Unable to help himself, Danny turns intangible and peeks through the board curiously. He doesn’t need to glance at Phantom to know that he’s doing the same.</p><p>The first thing he registers is <em> black</em>. Black tents, black train carts, black umbrellas, not to mention the amount of black the large crowd of humans was wearing. </p><p>Stepping out fully, Danny stares in apprehension at the strange set-up. “What is this?”</p><p>“It’s a circus,” Phantom answers, moving to stand next to Danny, their shoulders brushing. “Though not one I’ve seen before today. I thought circuses were supposed to be… <em> happier.</em>” At that, his boyfriend’s brows furrow. </p><p>“<em>Oh!</em>” Danny gasps, recognizing that term. “I’ve heard of those!” A bit of giddiness fills his core, and now he <em> really </em>wants a closer look. Turning to Phantom, he asks, “Can we take a look?”</p><p>Phantom’s lips twitch. “We’re supposed to be tracking the crooks.”</p><p>“Well, it’s not like we can track them now,” Danny answers, smiling hopefully. “Come <em> on </em>, you need the break anyway!”</p><p>“Wha- just <em> me?</em>” Phantom looks affronted, his lips pulled down into a small scowl. He shakes his head. “No matter, we need to-”</p><p>“<em>Please</em>,” Danny links his hands together, staring at Phantom with what he hopes is a convincing enough look. When Phantom only slightly wavers, Danny unleashes his ultimate weapon. Leaning forward, he places a tender kiss on Phantom’s cheek.</p><p>As expected, Phantom flushes instantly, and his stern expression loosens into a familiar combination of pouty lips, glowing cheeks, and avoiding eyes.</p><p>“Fine,” he concedes at last.</p><p>Danny cheers, and in his joy, he throws himself at Phantom, his arms wrapping around those tense shoulders tightly. Danny laughs into his neck and feels said shoulders relax in his hold. A smile rises to his lips as he hugs Phantom just a little bit tighter. Lifting his head, Danny kisses Phantom’s down-turned lips chastely, to which they immediately lift.</p><p>“Thank you!” </p><p>“That’s cheating and you know it,” Phantom sighs, but he’s smiling nonetheless. Danny can’t see Phantom’s expression when he whirls around with barely contained excitement, but he <em> can </em>feel the way his boyfriend lets himself be pulled along.</p><p>They lower invisibly on top of a large wooden box in the middle of the crowd. Now that he’s this close, Danny can see that it’s not just black that connects these humans. There seems to also be a pattern of disinterested scowls, dark and wild hairstyles, and strange accessories pierced through their ears, noses, and even lips.</p><p>Oh, he knows this! These are <em> goths</em>. Lovers of anything dark, gloomy, and mysterious.</p><p>They were cheering just a moment ago, weren’t they? So why were they annoyed now? Just as he starts to wonder, a loud noise startles him. Phantom seems to react similarly, jolting in surprise and instinctively wrapping a protective arm around Danny’s middle. The touch sends delighted sparks throughout his core.</p><p>Looking toward the noise, Danny’s surprised to see that there is now a hook sticking out of the box near him and Phantom. Then, his eyes are drawn back to the front as the crowd gasps. He watches with bated breath as a hand peaks out of the darkness of the open train cart. And when the figure is fully out, Danny can’t help but gasp quietly. It was a human, but she was bent in ways impossible for, well, a human. She crawls on the rope like a spider, and for some reason, the sight of her movement sends a shiver down his spine.</p><p>Phantom pulls him closer, but he’s equally, and morbidly, curious.</p><p>Another figure appears, and this time it’s a buff man juggling multiple knives. As he steps out, a metal circle shoots out of the darkness and hovers in front of the man, but he just jumps through it without even batting an eye. As he does this, he also throws his knives so swiftly, Danny barely sees him <em> move</em>. As if by magic, they all curve toward the bendy girl, and <em> she </em> just stretches unnaturally around the ones that <em> almost hit her</em>.</p><p>The crowd then erupts in roaring cheers, and while Danny doesn’t join them, he shares their excitement. That was the most morbid, but <em> amazing </em>, thing he’s ever seen a human do. For both of them to execute all of this so flawlessly… </p><p>“Wow,” Phantom breathes next to him, a stunned awe to his voice. “I’ve never seen a human do <em> that </em>before.”</p><p>“Me neither,” he agrees quietly. “Is this how all circuses are?”</p><p>“Not really,” Phantom answers. “Actually-”</p><p>He’s cut off when a low, echoing voice suddenly overpowers the cheers. </p><p>“Welcome… to <em> Circus Gothica.</em>”</p><p>Then out steps <em> another </em> strange human. He had gray skin—a skin-tone Danny has yet to see on any human before this man—and empty red eyes that seemed eerily disconnected from his large, toothy smile. With a flourish, he tips his hat and bows. Dressed in a dark get-up of a similarly red and black suit, this human seems to <em> ooze </em> an unsettling energy. </p><p>Or rather, maybe it was the scepter in his hand. It had a long red handle leading up to a bat that held up a glowing crystal ball with a swirling red center. The sight of the eerie red made Danny’s stomach churn uneasily.</p><p>With a shiver, Danny leans back into Phantom. “That human…”</p><p>“I know,” Phantom mumbles. “Talk about <em> creepy. </em>I’ve seen nicer-looking ghosts.”</p><p>Still, ever-so-curious, he watches as the man keeps talking.</p><p> “Are you ready to have a good time?” The human says as he waves his scepter over the enraptured crowd. “To forget your cares in the joys of the circus?”</p><p>The crowd responds negatively, to Danny’s surprise. At that, the man’s smile only widens. Ancients, are lips even supposed to <em> stretch </em> that far?</p><p>“Then you’ve come to the right place!” The man cackles. “I am Freakshow, your ringleader. I hope you’ll enjoy this small portion of the horrors of <em> Circus Gothica, </em> with more to come in tomorrow’s show.” He raises his scepter with a sly grin, “Now, let us cross over to the dark side.”</p><p>Phantom mumbles something Danny doesn’t catch, so he glances up at him with a questioning look. For a moment, it seems like there’s a flash of red in Phantom’s green eyes. </p><p>Danny blinks, and the red vanishes. He shakes his head, thinking that he might have imagined it. Freakshow’s chilling eyes must be affecting him more than he thought. </p><p>“Phantom?” he asks. “Did you say something?”</p><p>“Huh?” Phantom blinks, looking slightly dazed as he turns to Danny. “I must have drifted for a moment. I guess that’s what I get for staying up all night.”</p><p>“Phantom,” Danny frowns. “You can’t keep doing this. You, unlike me, <em> need </em> sleep.”</p><p>“I know,” Phantom rubs the back of his neck, not meeting his gaze. “I’ll… try harder next time.”</p><p>Danny sighs, wanting to argue, but he relents. “Promise?”</p><p>Phantom doesn’t respond. Instead, his eyes drift back toward the show going on below them.</p><p>Danny’s worry grows, and he tries to ignore the nagging voice in his head that whispers, <em> he didn’t promise this time</em>. Phantom was just really distracted right now. That’s all.</p><p>When Danny looks back toward the ringleader, there’s a woman standing next to him. A woman that’s staring right back at <em> him. </em></p><p><em> That’s impossible</em>, Danny thinks, furrowing his brows in confusion. But no, she’s most definitely staring. Then her eyes shift to Phantom. He waits for Phantom to comment on her strange behavior, but he’s being oddly silent right now.</p><p>“<em>Phantom</em>,” Danny hisses.</p><p>Phantom doesn’t answer, not until Danny pulls his ear, making him yelp. “Ow!” </p><p>Some humans glance in their direction at that, and Danny thanks their lucky stars that at least <em> these </em> humans can’t see them. </p><p>“What’s with you?” Danny huffs. “You keep zoning out!”</p><p>“I-” Phantom pauses. “I don’t know.”</p><p>Phantom looks down at his hands with an unreadable expression. </p><p>Trying to get a read on his boyfriend’s thoughts, Danny reaches for their bond. There are probably multiple descriptors that would fit this sensation. The closest thing he can think of is that it’s like following an unseen string between their chests, but Danny's found that there is also a simple beauty in just calling it a connection between their souls. A connection that allows him to flutter around Phantom’s core as he tries to understand what exactly is causing the strange thrum in his boyfriend’s emotional signals.</p><p>Try as he might, all Danny gets is <em> confusion </em> . He can’t pinpoint <em> why </em> Phantom is confused, but it still concerns him. Burrowing closer to Phantom in an attempt to comfort him, Danny asks,  “You wanna leave?”</p><p>“I thought you wanted a break?” Phantom asks, glancing at Danny with an uneasy glimmer in his eyes. “I don’t want to ruin your fun-”</p><p>“You’re not,” Danny assures with a shake of his head. “You’re more important than some circus show. Let’s go home, okay?”</p><p>Phantom stares into his eyes for a moment. Then he smiles. “Okay.”</p><p>Before Danny can float up, Phantom is already doing it for both of them, the sudden hand on his waist both steadying and lifting him.</p><p>“I can fly on my own,” Danny laughs, even as he lets Phantom guide them.</p><p>“What, can’t I do something cheesy with my boyfriend?” Phantom teases. “Because if so…” he slacks his grip on Danny just a tad.</p><p>Danny yelps, raising his arms to wrap around Phantom on instinct. Phantom, the jerk, just laughs and resumes his previous hold. </p><p>“That was mean,” he pouts.</p><p>“Noted,” Phantom says with a cheeky grin.</p><p>Even as they fly away from the circus, they both know something isn’t right. They both feel the invisible weight that follows them, that sits heavily on their minds. Their cores, however, remain as weightless as their bodies as they head back home.</p><p>Above them, a storm begins to rumble.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I've always thought that the freakshow ep was too rushed considering its premise, so for me to be able to expand it piece by piece is really exciting! I'm doing my own canon justice, damn it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Of Roaring Thunder</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Part 2.</p><p>All it takes is one misstep to lose yourself.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>and back to the storm! :D</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Phantom had to describe the way his week was going in one word, it would be <em> stressful</em>.</p><p>Phantom learned that term from the humans. Stress. It was used to describe the feeling one got when they were swamped with too many tasks and too little time to do them. Often, humans used the word while talking about their schoolwork or needing to go to <em> actual </em>work. Phantom figures he fits with the latter, if trying and failing to catch crooks for a week straight counts as a job. </p><p>Speaking of said crooks, where the hell <em> are </em>they?</p><p>Standing on a building facing the bank he and Danny are staking out, Phantom watches the entrance avidly, waiting for a familiar flash or trail of green ectoplasm. They should have appeared by now… </p><p>“Phantom,” Danny’s tired voice sounds beside him. “We’ve been at this for hours. They’re not coming.”</p><p>“We don’t know that,” Phantom refutes, without moving his gaze from the bank. “They could be waiting for us to leave.”</p><p>“<em>Or </em>they had common sense and chose somewhere else to rob while we were busy staking out this place,” Danny points out, ever the voice of reason to Phantom’s one-track minded plans. </p><p>Normally, Phantom would appreciate Danny’s efforts to placate him with logic. But not this time. Not when all the words do is make him grit his teeth and clench his fists, his frustration growing.</p><p>“You’ve been doing this all week, Phantom,” Danny says, and Phantom can hear the frown in his tone. “Remember what the humans keep telling you? It's really bad to work under stress.”</p><p>“Well, <em> I’m </em> not human,” Phantom huffs. “And neither are these crooks.”</p><p>“Phantom-”</p><p>Against his better judgment, he snaps, “<em>What</em>, Danny?”</p><p>Just as quick as the words left him, Danny’s mouth snaps shut with an audible <em> clack </em>. From Danny’s slightly pained wince, he must have hurt his teeth, his jaw shut so fast. Phantom doesn’t get to focus on that for long, as an overwhelming flood of emotions comes surging through their bond. Phantom’s been bonded to Danny long enough to recognize the strongest emotion as hurt. He flinches as the realization cuts through his core like a dagger of ice.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he says after a too-long moment of uncomfortable silence. </p><p>“It’s fine,” Danny says quietly. “I was nagging you. I’m sorry.”</p><p>A cold feeling washes over Phantom, like a sheen of ice over his core. He knows that tone. It’s that same blank voice Danny used around Nocturne when they first met. The fact that he’d triggered Danny into using it at all only added to the twisting guilt in his chest. </p><p><em> He’s trying to help me, and I snap at him for it, </em> he thinks. <em> Way to go, Phantom. </em></p><p>Phantom turns to Danny, a grimace on his face. “You shouldn’t be the one apologizing,” he shakes his head. Noticing his boyfriend’s parted lips, he hurriedly adds, “Seriously, <em> stop that</em>.”</p><p>Danny doesn’t answer, opting to just nod, which Phantom recognizes as his version of “stewing.” It’s so like Danny to hold in his hurt and displeasure, especially when it comes to his stupid hero of a boyfriend who’s being stubborn.</p><p>The bank forgotten, Phantom heaves a sigh. Danny looks up at the sound, and he can’t help but stare into those beautiful glimmering blues that spoke <em> volumes </em> of his emotions. Well, the slight decrease in galaxies on Danny’s cloak is also a rather telling sign, but he digresses.</p><p>Reaching out, he tentatively grabs Danny’s free hand, the one that wasn’t busy twirling the strings of his white hoodie (that he stole from Phantom). Danny’s eyes seem to glow at the contact, and he doesn’t pull away, which Phantom counts as a small victory. </p><p>“I’ve been a jerk lately,” Phantom admits, knowing this for a fact. Danny doesn’t deny it, his lips even twitch, like he’s holding back a smile. “I know making excuses isn’t gonna make this okay, but… this is really important to me, Danny.”</p><p>“I know,” Danny looks down. “And I tried to give you your space about it, but you’re-”</p><p>“Being obsessive? I know,” he finishes. Danny blinks at his words, and Phantom has half a mind to look hurt at his boyfriend’s shock. “What, you think I didn’t notice?”</p><p>“Kind of, yeah,” Danny says sheepishly. “You were so focused…”</p><p>“You’re more important than my pride, Danny,” Phantom rubs a thumb over Danny’s knuckles. “I know this won’t make up for my behavior, but… I really am sorry.”</p><p>Danny meets his gaze, and it feels like he’s contemplating what to say. Finally, he smiles, “I forgive you.”</p><p>Now it’s Phantom’s turn to be surprised. “Seriously?”</p><p>“Seriously,” he nods, his smile twitching. Phantom gets the impression that Danny is secretly laughing at him.</p><p>Shaking his head, he says, “Unbelievable. Just like that?”</p><p>“Phantom, I know how important protecting Amity is to you,” Danny squeezes his hand. “And I’m proud of what you do. I’ll always support you, you know? Just… don’t do that again. It really hurt me, as embarrassing as that is.” He rubs the back of his neck.</p><p>“It’s not embarrassing, starlight,” Phantom denies. “It’s perfectly reasonable, unlike me.”</p><p>Danny giggles. “Sounds about right.”</p><p>“Hey!” He pouts. “I’ll have you know-”</p><p>A flash of red stops him, and his eyes immediately zero in on the location. There, at the end of the block! As soon as his eyes fall on the light, a strange feeling washes over his entire being, most clearly in his mind. It feels like a thick blanket being draped over his brain, blocking out the noise around him.</p><p>Danny’s lips are moving, his brows furrowed, but Phantom can’t hear a word of it as an urge to follow the light rises in him, like an itch he needs to satisfy.</p><p>He follows the urge.</p><p>Flying toward the light, his mind buzzes as it disappears from his sight and right around the corner. Just as he’s about to go after it, something pulls at his hand.</p><p>“Phantom, what-”</p><p>He doesn’t let Danny finish, pulling his hand away and making haste to round the corner. And there it was, sitting in the middle of the street. Landing in front of it, Phantom reaches out subconsciously, never tearing his eyes from the glowing sphere.</p><p><em> “Phantom!” </em> Danny calls, this time sounding aggravated. “What the hell are you-” Then, he cuts off, his breath hitching. “Oh, Ancients, that’s-”</p><p>“<em>Mine</em>, thank you very much,” a new voice says.</p><p>Phantom almost doesn't look away, but a gasp from Danny startles him. “You’re that guy from the circus!”</p><p>Remembering what Danny was referring to, he asks, “Freakshow?”</p><p>“You remember me,” Freakshow drawls. “How sweet. Now I don’t need to bother with pleasantries.”</p><p>The staff is suddenly surrounded by a green aura that sends it flying right into Freakshow’s hands. But that’s not what shocks Phantom. What shocks him is the sudden appearance of a <em> very </em>familiar ghost.</p><p>“You’re one of those robbers!” He points at her.</p><p>The ghost tilts her head with an ominous smirk. Phantom couldn’t believe it. There she was, one of the ghosts causing both him and his town mayhem, and she was <em> smiling </em> like she did nothing. Rage bubbles inside his core, all his frustration from this past week pooling into his fists in the form of green energy.</p><p>“<em>Now </em>you show your ugly mug?” Phantom snarls. </p><p>Danny’s concern barely nudges his core, but he feels it nonetheless. He places a hand over his core and tries to push down his anger. Then, in a much calmer, but still surprised voice, he utters, “But… why are you with a human?”</p><p>“Pity, I thought you’d be smarter than that,” Freakshow shakes his head, his voice mocking. “Oh, well. That’s not what I’m here for.”</p><p>“Then what <em> are </em>you here for?” Danny asks warily, and the purple light appearing in the corners of Phantom’s vision tells him that his boyfriend has powered up as well.</p><p>“Why, to collect my goods!” Freakshow grins, all teeth and no humor. </p><p>“No way will we let you-” Phantom starts.</p><p>“Oh, no, I don’t mean <em> money</em>,” he says, the condescending tone of voice grating at Phantom’s nerves. “<em>Yet</em>, that is. I mean my <em> minions</em>.”</p><p>“You mean those other three creeps?” Phantom growls.</p><p>“You seem to have miscalculated,” Freakshow’s smile twists unpleasantly. Slowly, he raises the scepter in his hand. “I have <em> four </em> to collect.”</p><p>“What do you-”</p><p>And then he feels it. That same sensation from before, buzzing and humming as it runs all over his body, his <em> mind</em>-</p><p>The noise stops.</p><p>He blinks. </p><p>And then he grins.</p><p>“There we go!” Master laughs giddily. “Now, you know what to do, minion.”</p><p>A sharp gasp sounds, causing Phantom to turn toward the source. What he sees makes him pause. It’s a ghost unlike Phantom’s ever seen before, with a strange cosmic coloring to his exposed hands and legs. Even stranger is the human covering on the ghost’s chest, making him look almost alive.</p><p>“Phantom?” The ghost whispers.</p><p>He powers his fist. “Hello, pretty.”</p><p>The ghost keeps staring at him, and it irks him enough to raise his glowing hand and smirk. “And <em> goodbye</em>.”</p><hr/><p>Danny registers multiple things in the span of just a few minutes. </p><p>One, Freakshow is involved with the robberies. Two, he has ghosts working for him. Three, his scepter might have to do with that. And four, which struck Danny the hardest, and the worst, Phantom was susceptible to the scepter’s power. </p><p>Enough for him to <em> attack </em> Danny.</p><p>Leaping back on reflex, he moves just in time for the blast to fly right by his head. It might as well have hit him though, since he was positively <em> reeling </em>right now. He can barely connect the blast to the hand that was shooting it.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” Phantom laughs coldly, so different from his once lively laughter. “Too pretty to fight back?”</p><p>“Phantom, please!” Danny yelps as he dodges another blast. “It’s me, Danny!”</p><p>Phantom pauses. Danny lowers his hands, feeling a spark of hope in his core. He holds his breath-</p><p>And chokes when Phantom suddenly appears in front of him, red eyes hauntingly dull as his lips stretch into a wide, emotionless grin. “Boo,” he whispers, and fires right into Danny’s middle.</p><p>A bright light sparks between them, and Danny is sent flying, crashing into the building across the street. He groans, raising a hand to his pounding head. And before he can react, Phantom is already there, his hands glowing.</p><p>“It’s a shame I have to kill you,” Phantom drawls. “You really are pretty, <em> Danny</em>.”</p><p>A ball of ectoplasm forms in his hands, growing bigger and bigger until it finally stops, and Phantom’s grin widens even more, if that’s even possible. “This will <em> really </em>hurt.”</p><p>And he fires.</p><p>Danny gasps, his brain halting as nothing but the sight of Phantom fills his head. Frozen, he watches with wide eyes as the blast heads right toward him, and his core, not registering anything else, seems to forget everything Phantom taught him.</p><p><em> Why won’t I move? </em> Danny panics. <em> Movemovemove-! </em></p><p>He closes his eyes on instinct, raising his arms in a pathetic attempt to block the burning beam-</p><p>
  <em> BOOM! </em>
</p><p>Pebbles rain onto him. </p><p>Opening his eyes slowly, Danny realizes that there’s <em> no pain </em> . No burn, no force, no bruise. His core thrums almost in relief, but it’s not the kind that would have had him sagging. Why? He was in <em> danger </em>! Why wasn’t his core registering the danger?!</p><p>Then he gasps. <em> My core! </em></p><p>Looking up, understanding dawns on him at the sight that greets him. Phantom, who was once grinning so toothily, was now scowling deeply, his blank eyes glaring down at Danny with an anger that makes Danny’s core both tremble and startle.</p><p>“What the hell?” He growls. “What did you do?”</p><p>“W-What?”</p><p>Phantom shoots another ectoblast at him. With his eyes open, this time Danny can see the way the blast <em> ignores </em> him and literally <em> bends away </em>from him and right into a nearby building.</p><p>“ARGH!” Phantom yells. When his eyes fall back on Danny, they’re <em> burning </em> . “<em>What did you do?</em>”</p><p>“You know me,” Danny answers shakily. “<em> You know me </em>. Why do you think your attacks avoided me? That’s your core telling you-”</p><p>“<em>Lies</em>,” Phantom hisses. “Tell me the truth. <em>Now</em>.”</p><p>“I am!” He cries. “Please, Phantom! Your core remembers me, <em> us!</em>” </p><p>“Us?” Phantom laughs, cold and biting. “What kind of trick are you trying to pull with that nonsense?”</p><p>Danny’s core wavers, his mind running a mile a minute as his body buzzes with unused energy. He could knock Phantom out right now, cancel out the scepter’s influence-</p><p>“Drone!” Freakshow calls from far away. “You’ve wasted enough time! <em> Finish </em>the job.”</p><p>In a snap, Phantom’s anger dissipates, and it’s replaced with that same emptiness from before. </p><p>“Phantom!” He calls, desperate to break the connection. “Don’t listen to him! He’s-”</p><p>“Stop your yapping,” Phantom’s voice echoes apathetically. “It’s time for you to take a nap.”</p><p>He fires at a spot somewhere above Danny. The blast’s shockwave shakes the building behind him, and rubble starts falling.</p><p>Darkness envelopes him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Me, glancing nervously ay my incomplete chapter 12: shit.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Of Billowing Winds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Part 3.</p><p>Who is it that suffers now? The thief or the fool?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Danny and Phantom finally interact!! This chapter has got to be my favorite out of the whole arc, mainly because of the interaction they have here. Red!Phantom is just so damn fun to write, especially his detached interest in Danny &gt;w&lt;.</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Danny first met Phantom, only one word came to mind: </span>
  <em>
    <span>light</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Back then, it was purely in the physical sense; with his shocking white hair, bright green eyes, and pearly luminescent glow, Phantom seemed to embody the very word. It’s only </span>
  <em>
    <span>after </span>
  </em>
  <span>Danny got to know him that he started seeing the </span>
  <em>
    <span>metaphorical</span>
  </em>
  <span> light as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere</span>
  </em>
  <span>. In his cocky grins, helpless laughter, selfless bravery, and unwavering faith. Wherever Danny looked, Phantom radiated light. And in his void of darkness, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted </span>
  </em>
  <span>that light. He wanted to bask in it, to stand beside it and take in its warmth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny was ready to ask Phantom if he could stay. But before he could even organize his thoughts, the words were already spilling from Phantom’s lips, like a waterfall of something beautiful and unheard of. Because he has never felt wanted. And yet, here was this complete </span>
  <em>
    <span>stranger</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and all he knew about Danny was that he worked under his new foe. And he </span>
  <em>
    <span>still </span>
  </em>
  <span>wanted Danny to stay. Not just in town, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>with </span>
  </em>
  <span>Phantom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny honestly believed his days of darkness were gone, left behind in that old warehouse. He thought that light would stay, would always shine on him with an honest smile, flushed cheeks, and glowing eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But now, standing alone in the pile of rubble he’d just phased out of, he knows just how wrong he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Coughing weakly, he takes in the empty street, looking for something, </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span>, to tell him that he was wrong, that Phantom was still there, holding out a hand for Danny to grab. He checks every corner for that familiar pearlescent shine…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And winds up empty.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His legs fail underneath him, and he drops to his knees, the roughness of the street digging painfully into his legs with only his jeans to protect them. All at once, the cold hits him, and he huddles into himself, clutching at his hoodie as he lets out a shivering breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phantom…?” he whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As his body trembles, his mind </span>
  <em>
    <span>runs</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a million thoughts rising all at once under the umbrella of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Phantom… hurt me? Phantom hurt me. Phantom was </span>
  </em>
  <span>forced</span>
  <em>
    <span> to hurt me-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His breath hitches. Phantom was under Freakshow’s influence now. He was somewhere </span>
  <em>
    <span>not here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, working under a controlling master that wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>use him</span>
  </em>
  <span> to </span>
  <em>
    <span>make money</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over the numbness, something else sparks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Anger</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I won’t let that happen</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Danny thinks, clenching his fists on the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rises back to his feet. Inhaling, he evens his tremulous breathing and exhales. Phantom hadn’t given up on Danny. Not even on the day he met him, when he was clearly working </span>
  <em>
    <span>against </span>
  </em>
  <span>Phantom. He never stopped believing in Danny’s goodness, so neither would he.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This time, I’ll be the one to save you, Phantom, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Danny promises, his core settling into a steady thrum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Focusing his eyes, Danny can feel the shift as his vision fills with multiple threads and traces of energy. Ectoplasmic trails. He searches the area for a moment, when he finally catches the one he was looking for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bright, pearly trail of something similar to frosted glass—something distinctly Phantom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the situation, he feels a flash of fondness, warm and familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tracks the trail with his eyes, taking note that it led back to the bank he and Phantom had been watching. It looks like they’d already left, which means Danny was too late to stop them from robbing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying not to add to the weight in his chest, he floats toward the bank, staring after the residue. It leads outside the main city block, and into the outskirts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He follows it carefully, keeping an eye out for any more trouble, but everything seems to be silent tonight. He shivers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, it feels just like back in the circus. That strange, unexplainable eeriness. But this time, there’s no wonder. No curiosity. No excitement. Not with Phantom on the line.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he finally arrives at the end of the trail, he’s not surprised to see that it led him back to the circus. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>surprised to see that there’s a crowd, however, and a huge one at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny squints at the growing masses entering the large black and red tent. Either the robbers had just stopped by the bank for a courtesy visit, or robbing banks was just a quick fun hobby to them now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He floats toward the tent invisibly, with no plan in mind except to </span>
  <em>
    <span>find Phantom</span>
  </em>
  <span>. But once inside, the sight that greets him squashes his hope as hundreds of people dressed in black </span>
  <em>
    <span>roar,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the crowd’s voices drowning all other sounds. Freakshow stands under the spotlight, grinning as disgustingly as ever, and he was pointing up at the rope above him, which was tied between two giant pillars. And standing on one of the platforms, a stranger wearing a dark cloak, a large and unfamiliar blade in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of that, and no Phantom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, as he’s flying around, he feels it. A familiar pull, both cold and comforting, calling for Danny to come closer. Following the source drags his eyes back to the lone stranger as he pulls off tricks on the rope with his long blade.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How is he not falling off? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Danny wonders, his curiosity begrudgingly rising. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shakes his head. He needs to focus on finding Phantom! Which, if he remembers this feeling right, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>be here. He studies the stranger again, but all he can see from his figure is his white gloves as they hold on to the stick-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pauses. White gloves?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gasps as understanding dawns on him. Almost as if hearing the sound, the figure turns to look at Danny, even in his mid-air position of balancing on the blade. Despite being invisible, he’s met with dull red eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a long, chilling second, his core seems to freeze. A wave of cold erupts from his chest, sending shivers down his spine as that red gaze seems to pierce right through him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as Danny’s about to call out to him, Freakshow’s voice sounds below them, booming even louder than the crowd, “Next, we have a guest performer who has so </span>
  <em>
    <span>kindly </span>
  </em>
  <span>volunteered to join the act!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom, taking the cue, moves to climb down the bars on the side of one pillar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny frowns. Why was Freakshow making Phantom pretend to be human? Does he not want anyone to make the connection between the robberies and the circus?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Does this mean the rest of his performers are </span>
  <em>
    <span>also </span>
  </em>
  <span>ghosts? It would explain how inhuman they seemed, with their eerie behavior and physiques.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crowd cheers again, and Danny blinks as he realizes the next act was starting soon. He panics as he loses sight of Phantom, only sighing in relief when he sees that he is lurking in the back, where it looks to be an entrance to another tent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t waste any more time, darting toward Phantom. Core recognition goes both ways, and it shows when Phantom’s eyes settle once more on Danny before he shifts back to visibility.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small pang of relief echoes in his core at that. Even if his mind was being controlled, Phantom’s core still recognizes Danny, which means there’s still hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You again,” Phantom acknowledges with a bored frown. “So eager to see me already, Pretty?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You never gave up on me, you deserve the same,” Danny answers firmly, landing in front of Phantom. He almost reaches out a hand toward him, but decides against it. He has no idea how that action will be taken right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not sure what you mean, but sure,” Phantom rolls his eyes. “Don’t you have better things to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saving you is more important,” he replies.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Listen</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Phantom exhales, annoyance clear in his voice. “I don’t know what you’re going on about, but if you don’t stop your yammering, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>will </span>
  </em>
  <span>hurt you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t hurt me,” Danny says confidently. “Why do you think I’m still here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom scowls. “Oh, yeah? What makes you think I wasn’t just holding back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you </span>
  <em>
    <span>weren’t!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Danny cries. Something flickers in Phantom’s eyes for a moment, so he keeps going. “If you were just holding back, your blasts wouldn’t have been so powerful! You just couldn’t hit me, and you know it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, Phantom steps forward, close enough to be in Danny’s personal space and to fill his peripheral vision. His eyes burning, Phantom snarls, “You don’t know me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Pretty</span>
  </em>
  <span>, so why don’t you stop pretending and </span>
  <em>
    <span>scram.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Something rises in Danny’s core, hot and determined. Pulling from that feeling, Danny presses back, his brow almost touching Phantom’s had he not moved back slightly in response. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>won’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>leave you here, Phantom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For a moment, Phantom just stares back, his expression unreadable as he studies Danny’s determined gaze. There are nerves under all the fire, but he refuses to let them show, so he glares back in defiance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Phantom leans back with a huff. “Feisty,” he smirks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny shivers. Something about the lilt in Phantom’s voice, combined with his too-wide grin and the glint in his eyes as he gives Danny a onceover, strikes him as so many levels of </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phantom-” he’s ready to argue, but then, a terrified shriek rings out over the screaming audience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whirling around, Danny’s eyes widen as he catches sight of a human girl wobbling on the rope, her knees shaking, and her eyes blindfolded. On one end of the rope was the same bendy girl from before, her lips twisted into a wicked grin as she crawled slowly toward the terrified human. Stalking, like a predator on a hunt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>a show,” Phantom laughs behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phantom!” Danny turns to him swiftly. “Can you </span>
  <em>
    <span>hear </span>
  </em>
  <span>yourself? You would never let this happen to an innocent!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you would?” He raises an amused brow, pointing behind Danny. Just as he does so, the human screams again, this time louder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Acting purely on the burning in his core, Danny invisibly darts toward the girl. Just as she’s about to hit the ground, he grabs her and floats her down onto the ground in a way that wouldn’t alert Freakshow. He was making </span>
  <em>
    <span>progress</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he can’t have the creep ruin it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl heaves a relieved sigh, her entire being shaking with the adrenaline of the moment. Despite not seeing him, she still whispers, “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The burning settles into a warmth. Unable to respond, he settles for a reassuring pat on her shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whole time, Freakshow is watching with a confused expression on his face. And… is that </span>
  <em>
    <span>disappointment?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Danny simmers at the thought. Not only did he put an innocent girl’s life in danger, but he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>looking forward </span>
  </em>
  <span>to seeing her fall to her death!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ancients, how he wants to </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt </span>
  </em>
  <span>this man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Phantom comes first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He flies back to Phantom. When Danny lands, he’s surprised to see a familiar expression on Phantom’s face—the one where his brows are pulled together, his nose scrunched, and his lips down-turned in displeasure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you just making it your goal to ruin my day?” Phantom scowls, though there’s more to his voice than annoyance. Danny can’t put his finger on it, but his core agrees. This doesn’t feel like Phantom’s normal frustration, nor his anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe… Danny’s breath hitches slightly. Was Phantom breaking through?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why so upset?” Danny asks, clasping his hands behind his back. He leans forward with a tilt of his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You just ruined my fun, Pretty,” Phantom huffs, leaning back. “And for what? Playing hero?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, so </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>it?” Danny takes a step closer. “Because had you been yourself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>would have been </span>
  <em>
    <span>playing hero </span>
  </em>
  <span>before I even had the chance to move.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Phantom’s scowl twitches with his eyes. “If you’re so insistent that I know you, then maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>why I forgot you. Who would want to waste their time saving puny </span>
  <em>
    <span>humans?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You!” Danny yells. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You</span>
  </em>
  <span> would! I saw your expression, Phantom. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>felt </span>
  </em>
  <span>something when I saved that girl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, annoyance?” He rolls his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know your emotions better than you think I do, Phantom,” Danny presses onward. “And that wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> annoyance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can hear Phantom’s response, the sound of low murmuring fills his ears. When he looks for the source, he finds that it’s the girl he saved, grumbling to herself as she walks away from a grinning Freakshow. Her shoulders were taut despite her trembling hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She must be hiding her fear from him</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Danny realizes. He wouldn’t want to give that creep the satisfaction, either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Impulsively, he calls to her when she’s close enough to hear him. She turns just in time for Phantom to step back into the shadows of the other room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’re okay,” Danny smiles at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pauses, surprised recognition in her eyes. “Star!” she exclaims. “You’re the one that saved me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who else?” He jokes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phantom?” she replies. “Well, either way, thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Danny nods, warmth filling his core. “Word of advice? Stay away from that creep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Duh</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe I used to </span>
  <em>
    <span>idolize </span>
  </em>
  <span>him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me neither,” he agrees with a small laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The girl leaves after another minute of talking to Danny. When she’s gone, Phantom steps back into the light, a thoughtful frown on his face. He recovers quickly, though, his expression shifting back to apathy. “What was that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gratitude, which you </span>
  <em>
    <span>also </span>
  </em>
  <span>got before now,” Danny gives him a pointed look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh-huh,” he waves a dismissive hand. “And your hero name is </span>
  <em>
    <span>Star</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Seriously?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You gave me that name,” Danny says quietly. “You might not remember, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>gave me that name, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>helped me become a hero. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> gave me a friend when I didn’t have anyone.” He looks into Phantom’s haunting red eyes, pleading. “You’re my </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Phantom. My-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s interrupted when Phantom abruptly laughs, cold, biting, and mocking. He leans into his blade, his chest heaving with laughter. Wiping away a fake tear, he grins, “Are </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>hearing yourself? Me, your </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend</span>
  </em>
  <span>? And a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hero </span>
  </em>
  <span>at that! Oh, this is just </span>
  <em>
    <span>rich</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Phantom-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can't believe you even got a human in on the joke!” Phantom shakes his head. Looking back up at Danny, his expression flattens, all humor gone as his eyes glimmer dangerously. “Either you’re desperate, or you must </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>want trouble.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Many emotions swirl and crash in Danny’s core, but the loudest one is </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span>. After all that, Phantom still didn’t believe him and was outright mocking him. What was it going to take for Phantom to </span>
  <em>
    <span>believe </span>
  </em>
  <span>him? How can he </span>
  <em>
    <span>break the damn spell</span>
  </em>
  <span>?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then, a memory flickers tentatively, coming out from its hidden box in the corner of his mind. He had the </span>
  <em>
    <span>power </span>
  </em>
  <span>to do something. He’s always ignored that ability, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>, because of how wrong it felt, both to him and its victim. But now... with Phantom being controlled like a puppet on a string...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A calmness spreads through Danny as he makes his decision. If it’s to save Phantom, then he needs to take that risk. Phantom went above and beyond, sacrificing everything to save Danny when he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>willingly </span>
  </em>
  <span>working for Nocturne. Now, Danny must do the same if he wants his Bond back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods in determination. </span>
  <em>
    <span>For Phantom</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And before Phantom can even react, Danny surges forward…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>… and slams their heads together.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fair warning: after chapter 11, updates will start to stretch over longer time periods. I have yet to finish chapter 12, and although I've outlined multiple upcoming chapters, I didn't start any actual drafts for them. I hope you'll be patient with me when that happens owo;</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you enjoyed that :D More to come soon! Check out my Tumblr (kattythingz) if you wanna chat!</p><p>UPDATE SCHEDULE: I'll TRY to update once every week, but honestly I already predict that I'll hit a wall eventually, so when that happens, I hope you'll all be patient with me. I really do want to keep this story going but it will require patience on both our parts. Thank you for understanding &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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